


Kill Command

by rancordesherzens



Series: SuperCorp [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: ? - Freeform, A.I. Kara, AI Kara - Freeform, AU, Action, Android Kara, Did I Mention, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay Mess Kara Danvers, Gay Mess Lena Luthor, I am Supercorp Trash, Kara learning about humans, Kinda, Lesbian Lena Luthor, Maggie cheering on the gay, Marines are cool, Marines vs robots, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, SuperCorp, Violent, With and without powers, Written for Supergirl Fans, humans were mean, non-con experiments, training exercise gone wrong, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:55:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 125,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23827954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rancordesherzens/pseuds/rancordesherzens
Summary: Kara is an A.I. android and she's the only one of her kind...as in she's really an alien being forced to pretend to be tech. She is a personal assistant at Lord Tech. An affiliate CEO, Lena Luthor, brings some concerning news. One of Lord Tech's military training facilities has logged unauthorized reprogramming of tech, has gone offline, and isn't accessible via the Global Network. Is it just a glitch?OR-Message received-Kara: Miss Luthor?Lena: Are you okay? I thought it would be radio silence until your assignment was over.”Kara: I am fine. I wanted to-converse with you before I officially depart.Lena stood up from her desk, reread the message, and smiled. Her favorite A.I. just wants to chat with her. This is amazing.Lena: I’m happy to speak with you anytime. You’ve never reached out to me just to be social before. Are your social parameters expanding? Either way, I like it.Kara was trying very hard not to smile. Sawyer noticed and made sure Danvers did too.Maggie signed to Alex.-I think she’s talking with someone and smiling.-Alex watched her, -Damn, how advanced you think she is?--Let's find out. She’s adorable.- Maggie signed.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer, Eliza Danvers/J'onn J'onzz | Hank Henshaw, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Lucy Lane/James "Jimmy" Olsen
Series: SuperCorp [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1923997
Comments: 596
Kudos: 1118





	1. Reprogram Events Multiple

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl or the film Kill Command. But I sure enjoy smashing the two together. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think.

Kara is wearing a modern, well-fitted, white Lord Tech uniform that looks akin to a futuristic suit. Her hair is up in a messy bun and as she walks through the solid white room her hips gently sway back and forth. Wearing her hair up, offers anyone a glimpse at part of her cybernetic hardware at the base of her neck. It is round and glowing a bright blue. The same blue glows in her eyes as a digital overlay of words flash across her field of vision. 

Along the walls of the room are large prototype robots. She watches as the robots are being carefully assembled on the other side of the glass wall. A Lord Tech. affiliate contacts her and the conversation flashes across her eyes as she watches the engineers work. 

_Lena: L?_

_L: Yes?_

_Lena: Check out this feed. It’s a few weeks old and I came across it by accident._

_/ > LOADING S.A.R. MULTI-ARM REPROGRAM EVENTS MULTIPLE _

Kara, or L as she is known nowadays frowns and mentally responds.

_L: Where is this from Miss Luthor?_

_Lena: A Lord Tech Military asset program called the Harbinger 1 Training Facility._

_L: Any other unusual feeds from this facility?_

_Lena: Not that I can find. It stood out though. Should we send a team to access? I haven’t been able to make contact. It seems to be a closed Network now. I wonder why?_

_L: I will discuss this with Lord and contact you with his permission._

Lena glanced down at her tablet. She couldn’t help but feel a little sad when L mentioned having to get permission for everything. Sometimes it seemed like the Advanced A.I. was more human than the other actual humans around and times like these made her realize that it just wasn’t so. She sighed and replied again anyway, knowing the A.I. may not respond until talking with Lord as she said. She also knew she shouldn’t be so attached, given that Lord controls her and probably monitors everything she does and all conversations. 

_Lena: Have you seen anything like this before?_

Kara blinked and read the reply again. She felt like she should wait until after she spoke to Lord, but she actually wanted to reply to the woman.

_L: I have not. I will investigate. Thank you for forwarding the feed, Miss Luthor._

Lena smiled at her tablet.

_Lena: Anytime, L._

Kara spent the rest of the day mentally linked to the Lord Tech data stream pulling anything she could on recent logs and transmissions from Harbinger 1 before the Network suddenly switched to Private. 

Inside of Maxwell Lord’s office Kara stood at attention with her hands clasped behind her back, “Lord, did you go over the feed and additional data I forwarded to you?”

He smiled and sipped a glass of water, “I did, it’s odd. Who sent this to you or did you find it?”

“Your affiliate Miss Luthor with L Corp. came across it in a data cluster from roughly 3 weeks ago.”

“Interesting. What do you want to do with it?”

She straightened her already perfect posture as much as she could, “I would like a team to investigate since this falls within your newest military program. Harbinger 1 houses your S.A.R. units.”

His eyes widened only slightly, “What did you find out?”

“Before we lost contact with the facility there was a reprogram count of one and a half million in just under one day.”

“Hmmm,” he stood and rounded his executive desk, “That is an unusually high number.”

She nodded, “It’s unprecedented.”

He clapped his hands together, “Well, in that case, congratulations.”

She tilted her head, “Sir?”

“You’re going on a field trip my lovely, L. A well deserved one at that. A little fresh air and analysis will do you some good! I’ll get a Marine Squad set up to go train at Harbinger 1 and you get to tag-a-long and find out what is going on.”

Kara smiled, “Thank you. May I tell Miss Luthor that you have authorized this investigation? She is curious about the feed.”

“Hmmm. No, you may only tell her that it will be handled and give her my most genuine thanks for bringing it to my attention. Before you go though, I have an upgrade for you.” She didn’t move away as he stood closer to her and held up a small device to the back of her neck and it made a little beeping noise when he was done, “There you go, some more processing speed! Okay, you go get ready for a couple days trip and you will receive an alert message when your car arrives.”

She nodded and excused herself.

Upon entering her private elevator leading to her quarters within the Lord Tech building; she mentally accessed a conversation pane and watched the digital conversation float in the elevator with her.

_L: Miss Luthor._

The elevator sped along and dinged when she arrived on her floor and she headed to her quarters. The doors slid open when the panel scanned her and allowed her access.

_Lena: Hello L, how are you?”_

Kara smiled to herself before she even realized it. This human was always so kind to her and it made her happy. She had to be careful to keep her A.I. persona intact, and it was hard to do with Lena.

_L: I am well. How are you?_

Lena gently shooed away her dutiful assistant Jess so she could focus on her tablet and the window pane open to a new conversation with Lord’s A.I. assistant, L.

_Lena: I’m tired and ready to go home._

_L: Humans should get an average of 7-9hrs of sleep every night to feel properly energized and maintain a strong immune system._

_Lena: I knew you cared. I suppose I should sleep more then._

_L: Yes. I can forward you materials to assist you in finding the best way for you to optimize your sleeping pattern. If you are interested._

_Lena: What sort of materials?_

Lena smiled to herself. This A.I. was so sweet and actually seemed to care. It really should bother how much she likes conversing with it. She also couldn’t help to occasionally pick at her and see how she responds. She really is the most advanced android she’s ever seen. The inventor in her was more than a tad jealous of this milestone of Lord’s. How he managed this was beyond her. She’d figure it out soon though.

_L: Yoga practices, Meditation, Exercise, and various relaxation techniques._

_Lena: I’m sure what I really need isn’t listed in any of those materials._

Kara had just finished changing into a field suit. She had on black hiking boots and a dark gray suit that was slightly less formal than the white one with a somewhat looser fit for varied movements and a jacket that zips instead of buttons. On her left shoulder was the Lord Tech Logo and under the jacket she has a thin, light blue, button up short sleeve casual shirt.

She reread the last message from Miss Luthor and took a moment to process before smiling. This human often tried to fluster her, it was entertaining. It was something she quickly caught on to with this woman. She responded well to teasing and friendly conversation. It seemed to make work related correspondence be more productive in the long run. Also, as a bonus Kara enjoyed it too. 

_L: I assure you that sexual release is within the aforementioned materials. Would you like me to forward them to you?_

Lena laughed so hard when the message popped up that Jess stood at her desk and peaked at her for a moment before sitting back down.

_Lena: Yes, L, send the materials. Now, what is that you contacted me for? I’m sure it wasn’t to ask about my sleep schedule. Is it about the feed I sent you this morning?_

_L: / >ATTACHMENT _

_L: Yes. I spoke with Lord. He wishes for you to know that the situation is being handled and he is very grateful that you brought the matter to his attention._

Lena frowned. Locked out of whatever is going on just like that. Dammit Maxwell Lord. 

_Lena: I understand. But, for the record. I brought it to your attention, L._

Kara put a data pad, notebook, several specially formulated meal bars, and a few pencils in a small crossbody bag with the Lord Tech logo on it as well. She closed it, zipped up her jacket and put the bag on her back. She read the message as it popped up. This isn’t the first time or second or even third time that Lena has mentioned her contact being with her personally and not Lord. She understood, but she was here for the service of Lord, no one else. Despite what she wanted the chip in her neck was exceptional in controlling her final decisions. She sighed as she replied with a line Lord made her use far more often than she’d like.

_L: I am merely an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated._

Lena huffed and didn’t respond. She also didn’t acknowledge the tear threatening to fall at the constant reminder that her only friend is a damn robot. A really adorable, damn robot. 

Kara waited for a response and instead she got an alert and message from Lord.

/> TRANSPORT HAS ARRIVED. DEPART.

_Lord: L, head downstairs ASAP a car is waiting to take you to an air strip just inside the Mojave._

_L: Yes, on my way._

Kara mentally switched back over to the conversation with Lena Luthor.

_L: Thank you for bringing the feed to my attention, Miss Luthor._

Lena laughed quietly and wiped her eyes carefully to not smudge her eye makeup. This was a stride indeed. One she had been trying to gain with the A.I. for going on 2yrs now. A stride indeed to get a controlled Advanced A.I. to add to conversations even when tasks have been completed. 

_Lena: YOU are very welcome, L._

_L: Have a good night's rest. I will message you soon._

Lena glanced at the clock, it was still very early. She’s never been dismissed this early by L before.

_Lena: Early night for you? Ooooh, a hot date? I’ll message in the morning to get all the enticing details._

Kara wiped her mouth and tossed a wrapper in the small elevator disposal slot. She thought about how she could reply without going against Lord’s order for her to not tell Lena anything about the investigation.

_L: I will be heavily occupied for a few days. I will contact you when I am able._

_Lena: Have you finally learned how to joke?_

_L: No. I apologize, but I am not at liberty to discuss this further. Have a great night’s rest, Miss Luthor. Take care._

Lena read the message twice. She put the tablet in sleep mode and spun her chair around so she could look out at National City. Had Lord sent L to personally investigate Harbinger 1? She was positive that he’s never sent her out of the Lord Tech building before. Only a few within his board of directors, his top engineers, analysts, and herself have even laid eyes on her. Why now? And why shut her out of this whole thing entirely?


	2. Orders 6251

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L meets the Marines she must tag-along with at the training facility. C.O. Henshaw is not happy with the last-minute orders or the assigned tech from Lord.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Marine Captain Hank Henshaw stood inside a large military hangar bay and watched as the damn Lord Tech mecha units loaded and carried off cargo to other planes. He had been waiting an hour now for their new orders and was getting annoyed. He thought for sure he was going to get to take Alex home to Eliza for at least a few weeks before any type of assignment came.

Sergeant Alex Danvers appeared through one of the many Hangar doors and walked up to him with a frown on her face. She curiously glanced at a woman sitting on a bench. She had just heard from the airstrip crew about a realistic android tagging along. She is Lord’s advanced android and the only thing about her that gives it away are those glowing eyes. She had heard rumors, hell everyone talked about the robot that was once spotted at Lord’s side, but she doesn’t know anyone who has actually seen her. There were never any pictures or direct confirmations. He liked to keep his best toys to himself. Alex and the team joked that she wasn’t real anytime it came up in conversation over the years. There was no way any droid looked completely human. People tried all over the world, but they always looked like creepy dolls or metal mannequins. Lord won the race with something else it seems. 

“Danvers. Report.” He gruffed.

She gripped a tablet and nodded at him, “The others are out on the strip and nobody's happy. It’s shitty. We should all be heading home.” She hands him the tablet with a quiet huff and a respectful nod to her step-father, “I’ll see you out there.”

He watched her walk away with her head down before fixing her posture as she exited the hangar to see the unit. He activated the tablet and read the new orders. 

_TRAINING EXERCISE AT HARBINGER 1 TRAINING FACILITY._

_LOCATION: CHUKCHI SEA_

_ORDER: 6251_

He spotted a commanding officer overlooking the transport of cargo and headed over to him with the orders on the screen for him to see, “Sir, what’s this all about? The last four times out it’s been training. We don’t need training. We need our promised shore leave and then a real deployment.”

The officer barely even looked at him as he spoke, “It’s only three days out. Be grateful it’s just training. It looks good on all of your files to log combat time whether it’s on an island with bots or a mainland with humans.”

“I thought we were pushing to finish this shit.”

“With drones. We are trying to push for more drones to assist. To do that we need them to be competent. To get that, we need teams like yours to help train them.”

Hank practically growled, “You mean train our own replacements.”

The officer sighed and actually looked up at Henshaw from what he was doing, “Take a look around, Captain. Think about the money, not who it’s coming from,” he gestured towards a Lord Tech crate, “And just get on the goddamn transport.”

On his way out the officer yelled to him and pointed at the woman sitting on the bench, her eyes darting back and forth as she read files inside her head, “Wait, Captain. You’ve been assigned tech.”

Henshaw cursed under his breath and stormed past her and out the hangar. On the hot desert tarmac the tech unit caught up with him.

“Captain Henshaw. I am called L.”

He didn’t even look at her, “What do you want?”

“I am with Lord Tech,” she pulls at the logo on her sleeve. He doesn’t notice, “We have a lot of hardware in the field at Harbinger 1. I will be observing.”

He glanced at her, “Oh yeah, and keep an eye on us. Isn’t that what the drones are for? You seem redundant.” 

She nodded, “Yes, the drones keep an eye on you, your team, and how you all progress. I am here to watch the tech and inspect the facility.”

“Lord trying to work out what he can save money on?”

“No, no, that is not what Lord Tech does. Lord Tech is a vendor for the U.S. Military, there will be no cost cuts.”

He left her behind again and neared a top-of-the-line double engined military helicopter. Kara stood back and began scanning the transport. She had never seen one like it. It was remarkable. 

_U.S. MILITARY HAMMERHEAD HELIO TRANSPORT_

_AUTHORIZED FOR TRAINING TRANSPORT ASSOCIATED WITH ORDERS 6251_

_COMMANDING OFFICER: CAPTAIN H. HENSHAW_

He looked back at her to see her scanning the area and inwardly cringed, “If you don’t keep up, you’ll be left where you pass out. And turn that shit off. I do not want to be scanned at any time, is that clear?”

She blinks at him and shakes her head, “I am unable to turn off, Captain.”

Sergeant Danvers greeted Henshaw; she had watched them walk up the tarmac with interest. “Is she really with us?”

Henshaw grumbled and stood next to Danvers, “It is.”

Kara walked up the loading ramp inside of the Hammerhead and eyed the soldiers waiting there.

Alex watched her go in, “She looks human. How long until we see one of those in uniform?”

He watched her too, “By then we won’t be.”

“Christ, she looks so real.” She marveled to Henshaw’s annoyance.

Kara sits along the interior wall of the transport craft and buckles herself in. She scans the soldiers and they watch her murmuring and openly staring. She scans them in the order they are seated within the belly of the craft.

Across from her, in seats facing her where:

_SUSAN VASQUEZ/ CORPORAL_

_MEGHAN MOORES/ CORPORAL_

_MAGGIE SAWYER/ CORPORAL_

_LUCY LANE/ SERGEANT_

On the same side as Kara sat:

JAMES OLSON/ LANCE CORPORAL

Then Danvers and Henshaw boarded and took their seats on the same side as Kara. Danvers to her right, pulls out a small crossword puzzle from her military vest. Henshaw to Danvers right says something to Sergeant Lane that she doesn’t register.

_ALEXANDRA DANVERS/ SERGEANT_

_HANK HENSHAW/ CAPTAIN_

Kara looks around, supposing she should be courteous and greet everyone so she leans across the floor and extends her hand towards Moores, “Corporal Meghan Moores, I am L.”

Moores looks confused then angry and looks over at Vasquez and Sawyer, “How the fuck did she even know my name? Did you just look me up?”

Vasquez shook her head and mutters, “Fucking androids.”

Kara rested her hand in her lap and decided introductions could wait. She did however notice a quick apologetic glance from Corporal Sawyer.

She accessed a conversation window to send a message to Lena before leaving. She knew she wasn’t supposed to have anymore contact with her until coming back and she had already told her goodbye a few hours ago. But...

_L: Miss Luthor. Are you free for a moment?_

The response was quick, even for the CEO.

_Lena: L. Are you okay? I thought it would be radio silence until your assignment was over.”_

_L: I am fine. I just wanted to-converse with you before I officially depart._

Lena stood up from her desk and reread the message on her computer screen and smiled broadly. Her favorite A.I. just wants to chat with her. This is amazing. Damn Lord for being a better genius and creating this Android Goddess.

_Lena: I’m happy to speak with you anytime L. You’ve never reached out to me just to be social before. Are your social parameters expanding? Either way, I like it._

Kara was trying very hard not to smile aboard the Helio. Unbeknownst to her Sawyer noticed and discretely made sure Danvers did too. No one else was paying attention so Maggie signed to Alex.

-I think she’s talking with someone and smiling to herself-

Alex lowkey watched her for a minute, -Damn, how advanced you think she is?-

-We have to find out. She’s adorable.- Maggie signed and then stopped immediately as Olsen looked around, clearly already bored before transport had even started up.

_L: I was thinking about our conversation earlier and realized that perhaps I over stepped by suggesting certain relaxation techniques. If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize._

Lena laughed. What!? She wants to socialize, she cares for her health, and now she’s worried about her feeling uncomfortable? I cannot believe this.

_Lena: Oh! I brought that up and you countered brilliantly! That one has made it to my list of favorite conversations with you._

Kara turned her head to the left away from the Marines because she’s pretty sure she’s blushing.

_L: It has made it to my list too._

_Lena: You really have gotten a sense of humor!. This is fantastic. I’m looking forward to taking full advantage of this knowledge, L. Prepare yourself._

_L: Preparing._

Lena laughed hard, just had she had earlier in the day and her assistant peaked over at her again like she had then too. Something was wrong with her boss. Being all giddy and happy. It’s not bad just not even remotely normal.

Many hours into the flight everyone in the hold is asleep, except for L, Danvers, and Olsen. Next to her she hears her whisper as she does another crossword, “Nine letters down, brought to an end?”

Moores mutters in her groggy state for Danvers to go to sleep.

Lance Corporal Olsen stretches in his seat a little and loudly asks, “How many more clicks?”

Everyone, being light sleepers, wake up and curse at him. Vasquez kicks across the floor at him, “What, you gotta take a shit or something? Feels like every 5 seconds with you.”

Sergeant Lane pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. She picks up her rifle and starts tinkering with the scope and calibrating it. She looks up to see L scanning her. 

Olsen sees the stare-off between them and asks L, “Hey, you know my name?”

Kara stopped reading information in Lane’s file and turned to look over at him, “Lance Corporal James Olsen.”

He smiled and looked at her in awe as Lane put in some Lord Tech aim assisting contact lenses in her own eyes. The software is entirely contained within the lenses and red cross-hairs glow across both of her eyes now, “You do know your name and rank is on the front of your vest don’t you?”

L looked at Olsen long enough to access his file and stared up at the ceiling of the Hammerhead, “Lance Corporal James Olsen. Address 75 Hollis Street, Apartment F, Metropolis, NY. Residence of mother Margaret and father Clint; deceased. One sibling, Dr. Kelly Olsen. Address 273-”

Sergeant Danvers nudges L softly in the arm, “Want me to stop the children from bothering you L?”

Corporal Sawyer smiles at Danvers, “Watch it Sarge, you gotta choose your friends carefully. This one might be able to find out how much porn you’re downloading.”

They all chuckle and Danvers playfully glared at Sawyer, “It’ll take more than one android to calculate that shit.” More chuckles echo through the Hammerhead. When the laughing stops, L, looks over at the crossword in Alex’s hands, “It’s CONCLUDED.”

She looks at her then at the blank squares that have been taunting her, “Thank you!”

Lane looks at L’s head through her long-range rifle scope, “Hey L, I see you.”

L’s glowing blue eyes watched her intently through the scope. She leans in and focuses on the Lord Tech Harbinger rifle.

_/ >ACCESS CONFIRMED _

_/ >HARBINGER LS101 LINK. DISARMED. _

Lucy blinked at her rifle then at L in surprise. 

A couple hours later they learn that they are ETA 8 mins away from the island. Captain Henshaw paces the aisle between his soldiers and the Lord Tech A.I. “All right, check out your field pads. We move on these coordinates. Ammo is live. Check your targets.” He tilts his own field pad towards Olsen, the newest and greenest, “Olsen, you hear me? Live ammo.”

Olsen doesn’t sound entirely confident when he says, “Yes, sir.”

Henshaw tucks his field pad into his combat vest, “We will be monitored by Harbinger 1 Observation, Oscar Mike in six.”

Sawyer points at Olsen with a playful smile on her lips, “Stay Frosty Oscar Mike.”

He nods and checks his gear. The team chatters excitedly. Even though they all wanted some time at home they also couldn’t deny the exciting adrenaline rush they all get at showtime. L sits there, listening to them and mentally tries to connect to the Global Network.

/>OFFLINE

/>OFFLINE

The message flashes across her vision with each attempt. It is incredibly odd that this entire island is cut-off from the outside. She switches over to the local private network instead. When the Hammerhead lands she gets up and unloads with everyone else. 

Lane watches her suspiciously and whispers to Henshaw. She points to her own contacts while she speaks, “What she’s got is a tool just like these.”

“Yeah, are those connected to your robot brain and body too?”

It’s mid-morning here and it’s a dark cloudy, gray mess outside. It had recently rained. Everything was wet from the showers. The island is larger than any of them had expected. It’s mountainous, deeply forested, and cold. There seem to be only a couple of large concrete buildings within sight amongst the trees and who knows what else is out there. Part of the training is to make due with limited knowledge of the terrain and to learn as you go.

At the edge of the Helipad is a concrete bunker-esque entrance with steel doors and a door panel for access. 

The soldiers are geared-up in full combat garb. Warm clothing, bullet proof vests, gear packs, ammo bags, combat gloves, combat boots, and helmets too. 

Captain Henshaw leans towards the door panel of the building and speaks his name. An automated, synthetic female voice answers, “One moment, please.”

The heavy steel doors slide open and the same voice comes over a larger speaker system within the building, “Welcome to Harbinger One Training Facility. Exercise is now live.” The dim lights flicker on inside as the voice bounces off of the cold concrete walls. Henshaw heads inside alone and the message repeats itself as he descends a set of steel stairs. Seems like the facility staff is off in another section of the island right now. He passes by an Authorized Personnel Door and takes a quick look around before heading back to the pad.

  
  


AN: Oscar Mike is military speak for On the Move and Stay Frosty is Stay Alert/Focused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos!
> 
> Please?


	3. First Name, Android. Last Name, L.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the first training exercise and L gets the chance to bond with Sergeant Danvers. Lena is feeling a little bit of separation anxiety.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Captain Hank Henshaw emerges from the Harbinger 1 facility and surveys his team at the Helipad. His soldiers are all geared up and studying their field pads, the Hammerhead pilot is doing a quick pre-flight safety checklist before leaving them on the island, and the damn android is standing at the edge of the pad staring at the ocean with her hands in her pockets. Why did Lord have to make his personal android so human? Other geniuses have them looking like actual robots at least. The 18 enemy android style bots he’s had to take out in combat all looked kind of like human/robot mannequins. The fanciest android assistants he’s ever seen were either glowing spherical drones with mechanical voices or plastic looking humans with glowing eyes and sometimes jerky movements. The most “human” like ones seem like creepy dolls. L, was nothing like any of them. Maxwell Lord really is a fucking genius. Ass hole.

Lance Corporal Olsen saw him approach, but was talking to Sergeant Lane, “Sarge? Who’s monitoring us? There’s no one here.”

She lifts her rifle over her shoulder, “Yeah, really observant of you Olsen.”

Sergeant Danvers stands at attention in front of Henshaw, “What do you want us to do?”

“I didn’t find anyone inside. I don’t see observation drones or human techs anywhere, but we’re here, so let’s do this. Ready up.”

L was admiring a rogue ray sunshine piercing the dark clouds and dancing along the choppy waters. She wished that her implant from Lord wasn’t able to emit artificial kryptonite and didn’t block her Kryptonian abilities. He said it was necessary for her to gain his trust and assist him. The less alien and more android and human he made her seem the more he settled around her. She barely heard Henshaw’s voice as the wind whipped around her from the edge of the high-up cliff side helipad. She pulls her gaze away from the water and turns to him to ask, “Captain, do you have ground support?”

“No.”

She tilted her head, “No unmanned ground recon whatsoever?” Odd. Units tend to have military grade bots to assist in fights, even if it is just a Gunner class bot to use as fire-support or as a distraction.

His squad was heading into the building and Danvers was watching them waiting to follow behind him. “Is there a problem L?” He asked her too harshly if you wanted Alex’s opinion. 

She shook her head, “No, I just thought--” He interrupts her with a quick ‘Good’ and walks back into the building. Kara catches up with all of them quickly and glances the doors closing behind her as she’s the last to enter. As they close she hears the Hammerhead’s engines whirring back to life for takeoff. “I am sorry, Captain. I think we have got off on the wrong foot.”

He ignored her as they continued down one of the dark halls, past the Authorized Personnel door again and in the only directional option they seemed to have. “I don’t, android.” She frowns and looks away, catching a glimpse of Danvers watching her. She knows many people have problems with certain tech especially androids with advanced A.I.s. But, she was used to only really conversing with Lord, some of his employees, and Miss Luthor. They certainly never spoke to her in this way. It reminded her of the scientists and observers she had been raised by and studied by before Lord purchased her. The same distrust, disgust, and resentment. Except for Dr. Amy Mesner. Thank Rao for her. Would these soldiers act this way if they knew she wasn’t an android at all, that she was really an alien. Would it matter or be worse? The human acceptance of aliens isn’t the best topic either. Not that she knows too much about it as it’s a censored subject for her. Lord has her implant set so that he can essentially block her from accessing certain information and if she does it’s censored and nonsensical. She supposed it was much like having a locks for a child. He says it’s for her protection that she doesn’t know certain things. She knows it’s just another way for her to be kept in the dark. The maze of hallways lead to what looks like an exit.

Lane addresses everyone as they near the door leading outside to the bulk of the island, “Attention Captain, Ladies(she silently dares Olsen to disagree), and Android... we have only a few days to get through the training exercise here. Let’s not fuck this up. Olsen if you get negative stats again you’re a dead man.”

The unit laughs and steel doors close behind them. They look out at the forest ahead. There’s a muddy road shooting forward for about a mile into a thick tree line. On each side of this road are small ditches for runoff and endless walls of trees. The sky is still dark gray and it looks like it could rain at any minute as thunder rumbles in the distance. Captain Henshaw tells Corporal Sawyer, “Eyes up.” She pulls out a small drone the size of her hand and tosses it into the air. On her field tablet she controls it and looks at the aerial view from up high, “Eyes up, Sir.”

Somewhere on the island Winn Schott drops and slides in some mud as he quickly scoots beside his boss Cat Grant, where they are able to hide behind a large tree for cover. They're both breathing hard and wishing they hadn’t snuck on this damn island for a story that they probably weren’t going to live long enough to publish. She peeks around the tree and whispers, “I don’t see it anymore.”

He sighs into the tree and looks around, “Good.” His gaze ends up landing on Cat’s cleavage. The top three buttons of her crimson, casual hiking top had come off while running through the forest. She catches his gaze, smacks him, and points to her own eyes, “Eyes up here, Winnifred.”

He nods frantically, so tired, he can’t control his fatigued brain or eyes, “Yes, Ms. Grant, I’m sorry.” He quickly busies himself with his tablet and camera to see how the footage and images of this hell hole were turning out. 

Captain Henshaw looks at the aerial view on Sawyer’s tablet then sends Corporal Moores to walk on point and for both Olsen and Vasquez to walk with him. Sergeant Lane nods, “Okay spread out everyone.”

Kara lags behind the group, looking at everything she can, wishing she had her Kryptonian abilities to take it all in with. She hasn’t seen trees this close up since she was a child. It all felt so new again. She digitally scanned the area and when nothing alerted her to danger she found herself drawn to watching how hers and the others’ boots sank into the black mud along the trail. She is unaware that Danvers and Sawyer are both glancing back at her and whispering about her.

“Look at her, D. She’s like a little duckling out without Mama for the first time and loving it.” Maggie's dimples and white teeth blinded Alex before she replied.

“Yeah, she’s kinda adorable for an android.”

Maggie made a pfft noise, “Kinda? If she weren’t a robot I’d ask if we could adopt her.”

Alex laughed quietly, “Oh yeah, what if she was a blue alien?”

Sawyer glanced back at L who was examining everyone’s footprints as she went; her eyebrows furrowing in the cutest way, “Definitely, even if she was a pink alien and you know how much I hate pink.” Alex just shook her head, “Careful now or I might get a little jealous.”

Maggie grinned and rolled her eyes, “I want her like I want a baby sister. You are nothing like a sister.”

“God, I hope not.” They laughed. “But for the record Mags...did you just refer to Maxwell Lord as a Mama Duck?” They both laugh a little louder this time.

Kara glanced up to scan the area again of any threats or hostile robots and noticed the two soldiers glancing back at her with what appeared to be genuine smiles on their faces. She couldn’t help but return the gesture and she was sure she heard Corporal Sawyer saying ‘Awwwwww’.

About an hour passes and they’ve been in thick forested terrain for most of it with plenty of incline changes. Kara was thankful that she kept herself fit enough to hike with these Marines. Otherwise, how do you tell humans you're a robot if you’re sweating and holding your side? My parts are just outdated? I’m leaking oil? She was also glad that the field suit she has on is a lot warmer than it looks. Otherwise, it’d be hard to explain shivering and blue lips too. What is this? Oh well, Lord really wanted me to appear human. Don’t worry I am operating at peak efficiency. 

Up ahead there looks to be a clearing and Sergeant Lane leans against a tree and surveys the area ahead through her rifle scope. Rubbing her left aim assist contact lens as she does, “We’re all clear to the tree line.”

Captain Henshaw orders his squad to check their flanks and looks over to see L standing there, not out of breath or anything with her hands behind her back and looking up at the trees. She’s ignoring him, he thinks and tries to not grind his teeth. She then suddenly heads off in a direction through a thicket of trees alone. He huffs and signals for Danvers to follow her.

Lena angrily tosses her phone onto the couch next to her. She’s in her office. It’s early in the day and the weather is shit. Of course it is. Her ray of sunshine is off somewhere doing Lord’s bidding, therefore the weather and everything else will be shit until she returns. She huffs and crosses her arms. What? Is she really pouting? Dammit. She stands up from her couch and straightens out her skirt and blouse. She crosses the space and looks out the windows. “Did he really have to send you to that place?” Lena, despite all the eggshells she has to walk on when she’s near Lord, she went ahead and made a little program hoping to get pings on L’s location at that facility. Just little pings. Photos or quick clips just to check in and make sure she was doing okay. But, unfortunately she hasn’t managed to fix the island network issue and therefore no pings. No photos of a safe Android. Well, she thinks, she’ll just have to be patient. Let L work and restore the connection there and then she’ll get a ping and be able to SEE that she is okay. Her phone rings. Until then she will actively ignore her Mother’s calls. Unless, unless it’s a ping? She quickly walked over to the device and peaked at the screen. “Dammit.” She tosses it back onto the couch. 

Alex finds L stopped at the edge of a small drop-off scanning the area. Behind them she can barely hear the team and she knows they can’t see them unless Sawyer is following with her Eyes-in-the-sky. She peers up and doesn't see anything. She guesses that since L hasn’t looked around like they're being watched then that would be a no. “L, I get that you’re some kind of SuperTech of Lord’s. You don’t need to do all this camel-humping bullshit. That you usually work alone or just with Lord or something, but help me out with my Captain? Running off and not communicating with us is only going to piss him off more.”

They stood in silence for a minute before walking back towards the rest and Alex stopped and laughed a little as she spoke, “God, we must just seem like a bunch of neanderthals to you.” 

Kara looked Alex up and down, in a non-sexual way, and shook her head, “Not all of you, Sergeant.”

She smiles and winks at her, playfully, “Good. I like that. I got your six, L.” Kara wanted to smile back. She really did. This human just told her that she has her back. Does she really? What would Lena do?

As they’re about to walk again suddenly several basketball sized black drones hover over them and they seem to open up almost like flowers, but sound quite a lot like buzzing bees. The parts open and they float about, their glowing blue lenses watching them. Danvers goes to lift her rifle and L gently guides the barrel back to the ground; while softly saying ‘no’. Alex lets her and looks at her hesitantly before radioing the team, “Looks like we finally got observers.”

One of the drones floats down so that it was eye level with Kara. Alex and Kara can both see clearly that they are marked with serial numbers and the word RECON is painted on the sides. Lord’s Android and the facility observer drone scan each other and Alex asks, “Are these new toys of Harbinger?”

“Yes, these are from Lord’s Harbinger Program, but they have been modified. They are using quantum robotics; there is no human operator.”

Alex murmurs, “Quantum?” She looks right into the lens as it turns to face her instead of L. “One, nought, and everything in between, huh?” The drone buzzed and they all flew away as fast as they arrived.

L resisted the urge to smile this time, “Yes, that is exactly right.”

Alex sniffed and checked their six, “I read.”

“They’re autonomous.” L seems to be saying to herself more than Alex. They’re like a hive mind.

“All that power and they get to follow Olsen’s dumb ass through the forest.” Alex says somewhat humorously as she realizes that when Hank finds out he would rant about robots taking literally all of their jobs, he had been right. “So...are you high up in Lord Tech?”

Kara nodded, “Yes, I suppose in a manner of speaking.”

“Can I get a job? I think I just lost mine.”

She nods again, “I will see what I can do.”

“Good, I’m using you as a reference. First Name, Android. Last Name, L.” She picked at her and was happy to hear the android actually give a little laugh. Wait til she tells Maggie. The A.I. laughed at her joke! But, also, a new job prospect? Maggie can be here ‘plus one’. Package deal.

Henshaw glares at the drone closest to him, grateful for the heads up from Danvers. He presses the comm radio button on his vest,“Well, at least, they know we’re here. Shit training without observers to rank us. Let’s get moving.”

Sergeant Danvers here’s the command from Henshaw, “L, it’s game time. Let’s go.” She follows Danvers back to the group and wonders why she didn’t find anything beforehand about this level of modifications. Was this the reprogramming event in the files from Lena? Nor did she read that the Harbinger Recon Surveillance drones were now in play at the facility. Wouldn’t Lord have had to authorize this? Where are the maintenance teams and operators? Since when are any of the military assets run by Quantum? She should have read somewhere about the entire island being run by autonomous Harbinger units. Everything about this seems just as unprecedented. Could they really be... reprogramming themselves? No. Could they?

After they catch up with the team, they initiate recon mode themselves as they near the coordinates where the first training exercise is set to begin. Corporal Moores spots a few robots in the distance at the same time that Sergeant Lane does. The team takes turns looking through binoculars. Corporal Vasquez looks at the robots and laughs, “We got nine bots that look pretty fucking ridiculous. Like Wall-E mated with some artillery cannons.”

Some of the team chuckled quietly and the Captain quieted them down, “Listen up, we have nine targets to the north close to the river. Maybe more further in so be observant. But, we also have the upper-hand here since we’re on the ridge above them. Doesn’t mean we get cocky. Let’s get this done.” He looks at his group, “Danvers and Olsen with me. Everyone else stay on the ridge.”

Danvers orders everyone to, “Switch ammo to on and let’s move.” She see’s L silently scanning the robots in the distance, “L, care to join me?” Kara diverts her attention back to Danvers and follows close behind her. She’ll watch her six then. She laughs in her own head.

Lane takes cover in a nice sniping position and scoots down into the leaves and dirt before watching the robots roll around on the little path below them and locks onto one of the bots. “Ready.” She says. 

Danvers leans against a tree with L crouching just behind her and she radios Lane to confirm the target before saying, “Ready.” On the ridge Sawyer and Vasquez set up and loaded their portable artillery cannon, “Set.”

Henshaw sneaks further down the ridge and sets a small explosive device in a pile of leaves not far from the robots. He switches it active and quietly runs for cover. Sergeant Lane pulls her field tablet from her vest and it’s flashing READY. She touches her comm switch and they all hear her hushed voice in their earpieces, “Reaper One in position, stand by.” She moves her finger slowly to the trigger of her rifle, “Firing in five.” After a couple seconds she begins to count, “5...4...3...2...1. Fire.” She and Danvers both fire at their shared target at the same time and Sawyer activates the cannon they just prepped. The blast hits between two robots, destroying them instantly. They fist-bump each other.

Henshaw hits the red button on the detonator to the device he set and it explodes, destroying two more robots, while also creating a large smoke screen for everyone to charge through and destroy the last four bots. A few more if any were hiding. 

They fire at the remaining targets and L looks at one of the Recon Surveillance drones that keeps buzzing near her. She scans it and it quickly buzzes away. Away from the fight? Why leave the fight that you’re programmed to observe? She glances at Danvers who was busy shooting at rovers and she follows the drone through the woods after making sure the human was not at risk of being flanked. 

Another drone gets up close to Lane as she’s sniping from the top of the ridge. She glances at it and keeps shooting, “You getting all this? You like that?” She winks and smirks at the drone.

Kara weaves through trees and can tell she’s a ways away from the fight now as the shots have become quite muffled. In front of her there’s an extra thick patch of trees. There are several drones buzzing around the section and as she gets closer she sees a Harbinger S.A.R. Multiarm Unit within the cluster, communicating with the drones. Kara had done quite a bit of work with the Multiarm units. She had been observing their assembly in National City when Miss Luthor messaged her about the island. Multiarm Units are very large and easily the most adept of the Harbinger branch creations. When they stand fully upright, they are precisely 19ft tall. The bottom halves are composed of four highly functional and versatile metal craw legs, and the upper half looks like a metallic-human torso with armor and has four multi-functional robotic arms with versatile claw-like hands. The face is somewhat oblong, covered in armor plating, and a protected shatter proof glass over the seven blue optical lenses. They are, so far, the best of the new S.A.R. program within Harbinger. She walks up to the model, it looks damaged and is partially covered in mud. As she nears it she tsks quietly, “Oh, look at you. What happened? Maybe I can repair you.”

She scans it and mentally goes to connect with it on the Harbinger 1 Private Network.

_SYSTEM ACCESS TERMINAL_

/>OPEN CONNECTION 

MTA-003 MULTIARM MODEL/ IDENTIFY AS AE3258

As she got even closer it slowly turned it’s head to face her and she realized that it wasn’t just mud covering most of the large robot, but dark dried on blood. She took a quick step back and went to cut the link between them when suddenly a barrage of grainy data like images hit her. From what she could make out this unit and other connected units had killed several soldiers and facility staff. She could barely comprehend the static-y looking ones and zeros of a soldier being pulled apart and then a glimpse of a man and woman running through the forest while they were being hunted. Then nothing. 

She opened her eyes and it felt as though she had just woken up from a dream. And she couldn’t remember what she had been dreaming about. She looked around the forest and frowned. How had she gotten here? She scanned the area around her and saw nothing. She also didn’t hear any gunfire. When had the fighting stopped? She felt a chill run up her spine as she looked at the tree cluster directly in front of her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was supposed to remember something. Something horrible. Her implant sight at the base of her neck began to ache horribly, which never happened. Danvers’ voice popped up in her head through the local radio frequency of theirs that she patched into upon arrival. “And that concludes our training exercise for today Ladies and Gents. Well done, team. Let’s set up camp...where are you L? Are you on this channel?”

“Yes, Sergeant Danvers. I am en-route now.”

Kara turns around and heads to the team; running system diagnostics on her own implant as she did. 

She tries to switch to the Global Network. Denied again. She runs a subprogram to try and send a message to Lord. Denied. She tries again but with a message for Lena. Denied. The island is still being blocked. Rao, what is going on in this place? She starts drafting a report for Lord as she runs her diagnostics and tries to understand what just happened to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying this!  
> Please leave Kudos????  
> Please.


	4. Extension and Tool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The unit sets up camp for the night, but they don't get the rest they hope for.  
> 1s and 0s fill Kara's confusing dreams.  
> Lena misses the android more than she is willing to admit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit for a reason. Read the tags.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

The team found an open space rocky plateau with a defensible perimeter to settle in for the night. Their small, low-profile tents were set up. Small tower-like LED lamps lined the path and circle around where they’ve propped up their boots and broken into their MRE’s. The soldiers laugh and share stories while one keeps watch at all times.

L is sitting away from the group on the other side of the tents still within view and just within earshot if she’s needed. 

Sergeant Danvers is watching her over Olsen’s shoulder as he finishes telling a ridiculous training exercise story. Lane notices that Danvers has been watching the android, “What, you think she’s hot or something?”

Corporal Moores takes a sip from her canteen and mumbles, “Damn little pervert.” Earning a not so typical glare from Sawyer in the process. Moores clears her throat and focuses intently on the canteen in her hands. 

Danvers rolled her eyes, “No, I think she’s interesting though.”

Vasquez, who had been the one on watch had heard it all and walked up to switch with somebody. Moores jumps up and goes into the nearest treeline to escape Sawyer’s glare. Vasquez takes Moores empty spot on a small boulder, “She’s an android, Danvers.”

Alex leaned in, “And she looks so human. Don’t any of you think it’s kind of cool that we are working alongside such advanced A.I. tech? I mean, I think she belongs to Lord. Like personally. I think she’s the android there used to be rumors about.”

They all peaked over at the android in question. She was sitting away from them looking out at the darkening mountain side. Henshaw even looked up from his MRE to do the same as his team. Sawyer leaned in, the same way Danvers had and whispers, “She’s also so cute.”

Everyone but Alex scrunched their faces at her.

“Really? None of you think she’s cute?”

Olsen looked at the android and then down at his boots, “Yeah, she’s...cute.”

Lane got up, growled, and stomped off to her tent. The Lance Corporal visibly swallowed. “What? What’s wrong with Lane?”

It’s gotten much later and Kara was still rattled from her odd experience earlier. She’s done a few system diagnostics and the only weird thing she’s found is in her recent connection logs. There is a connection log with a S.A.R. Harbinger Multiarm that she doesn’t recall. When she tries to access the recording of events around the logged time she gets nothing but static. This in addition to there still being no way for her to connect to the Global Network... well, she’s starting to freak out a little bit. This is not normal. She needs to contact a local maintenance team and get access to the system here. Find out what’s happening and fix the network here. 

Danvers and Sawyer decide to walk over and converse with L. As they walk up behind her they can tell she’s in deep thought and working on something in that robot head of hers. Both women can clearly see her implant sight at the base of her neck glowing the same bright light blue as her eyes. It was noticeable during the day but at night it was brighter and with her ponytail moved to the side to drape over her shoulder it was impossible to miss. 

Alex spoke as she and Maggie both went to sit on opposite sides of her, “Hey, L.”

She jerks her head to look at them, clearly not noticing their arrival till now, “Can we sit with you?” Maggie asks with a quick smile. She nods.

Danvers lets out a soft oof noise as she sits, before she asks, “So, where did you get off to during our training exercise today?”

Kara didn’t look away as she answered with a simple, “I had a look around.”

Alex nodded, “Okay, but remember that talk we had about communicating and not pissing off Henshaw?”

“I do. I did not wish to cause a distraction from your training.”

Danvers bit her lip and nodded, “Yeah, but me noticing you’re missing during a firefight is gonna do that too.”

“I see. My apologies. I will take that into consideration when making future decisions.” Maggie was staring so intently at L that the woman turned away from Danvers to look right back at her. Maggie moved a little closer to her, “You. Look. So. Real.” Maggie was almost nose-to-nose with her at this point.

Alex laughed and Kara fought so hard to smother her smile, “Lord wanted me to look as human as he possibly could.”

Alex watched Maggie inspect the android and couldn’t help but ask aloud, “Who did he model you after? Cus, I can’t believe he was able to imagine you. No way he’s that good.”

Kara slowly looked away from the Corporal currently 100 percent in her personal bubble and over to the Sergeant, “I have no knowledge pertaining to how Lord designed my appearance.” Alex hmmmed.

Maggie was still doing her closeup inspection, “Seriously though, is your skin as soft as it looks? You look so...cuddly.”

Kara had not been expecting that. At all. She stood up and took a huge step away from Corporal Sawyer. A step almost too close to the edge of where this part of the plateau dropped off. 

She stammered as she spoke, her implant and directive kicking in to make her say his rhetoric instead of her own emotions. The jolt to her system physically hurt her. That had never happened, no matter how emotional she’s been. She hoped the darkness settling in around them was enough to hide her blush and startled look, “I-I am a-an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology I-incorporated. I am for the betterment of the company. I am to diagnose, analyse, and assist all Lord Tech e-employees and affiliates only as Lord personally s-sees fit. I do not c-c-cuddle.” She hadn’t had a ‘glitch’ since the early days of fitting her with the implants. Rao what is happening? When Lena Luthor flustered her she’d go quiet and say Lord Tech approved phrases, but this never happened. If she thought anyone could make her ‘break’ and glitch she’d thought it’d be that CEO. 

Alex was standing just a few words in, “Jesus Christ, Mags, I think you broke her.”

Maggie stood too and waved her hands in the air, “I’m sorry, L! I didn’t mean anything by it.” Then she noticed it; the android was blushing. It was barely noticeable in the dark, but it was there. “Uh, Alex, the uh, how can androids blush?”

Danvers looked at her and was about to yell BS when she noticed it too. The android was pretty red in the face. She pulled out her personal flashlight and shone it at her face, “Holy Shit. How?”

Kara was completely losing her cool at this point. Lord was going to be so angry with her if she didn’t fix this. “Lord made me as real as possible. He wanted me to be as close to a human as he could manage. This means that he programmed my body to simulate reactions to situations similarly as a human’s would.”

Maggie crossed her arms, “You have feelings? And your body,” she glanced her up and down, “...reacts to them? Like a human?”

Kara took a breath and stepped a little closer to them, away from the plateau edge that she now noticed, “Not exactly like a human, but, enough to appear human. I am still circuitry and wires. I am an advanced Artificial Intelligence. My programming is always evolving. In two years I will not be the same A.I.that I am now, just as the two of you will not be the exact same people you are now. Always changing with the world around you.”

The brunette uncrossed her arms and looked at the gaping woman next to her and back to L, “But, like, you can blush because I embarrassed you?”

Kara was not going to enjoy talking with Lord after he sees this log, “My body can mimic that reaction. You caught me off guard and that response activated.”

“Yeah, but, so...you can also...I don’t know. Feel love? Get angry? Sad? All the other human stuff too?”

“I am not able to experience those feelings. I am merely an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated...I do know that those feelings would be viewed as flawed traits and erased. I was not created to actually be a human, only to appear as one and to constantly evolve to better my Creator Maxwell Lord.” Kara thought about the time Lord showed her a log of herself looking, rather longingly, at a picture of Lena Luthor. He erased the logs and threatened to erase Lena if she didn’t keep up her android persona he had crafted. 

Alex frowned, “You’ve experienced actual feelings and Lord’s erased them because they conflicted with his vision of you, that mother fucking asshole.”

Crap. Was all Kara could think at this point. “I have been modified and regulated as Lord sees fit.” Maggie sat back down, looking rather sad. Alex sat back down too, looking so intently at L now. Kara felt awful about this. She really did. It wasn’t entirely a lie though. She is forbidden to act on any feelings. Lord has taken away objects that grew to mean something to her. She certainly felt like a repressed A.I. over these years of forced servitude. Sergeant Danvers is the one that found her voice first.

“Well, shit. L. I-I mean, that’s...really fucked up. What kind of feelings has he erased in the past? Do you remember?”

Kara put her hands in her pockets. She had always wanted...someone to vent to. To share some of her experiences with. So, maybe one snippet and back to business? She tried, but his rhetoric forced its way out, “I am merely an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated.” She sighed and looked away from the Marines. 

“Try again, L.” Sawyer urges gently.

“He has erased affection in the past.” She paused. Fighting the code forced upon her thoughts. “I work rather closely with a business associate of Lord’s. We converse, often daily about many business matters. I grew too attached and some of my logs were erased and now every single interaction with this associate is heavily monitored by Lord. I must follow my directives and stay within my allowed social parameters.”

“Damn, Alex, can we please adopt her now? I know she’s a little lost robot and not a pink alien, but, she’s so sweet.”

Adopt? Lost? Pink alien? What on Earth is this human going on about? “Would you please explain your reaction?”

Alex softly laughed and nudged Maggie, “It’s nothing. Maggie, thinks you’re cute and wants to take you home with us. Now that she knows you have feelings she’ll be relentless.”

“I-I don’t understand. Who is this pink alien?”

“This morning when we left the bunker; I saw you enjoying all the mud puddles and told Alex you looked like a cute baby duckling. That I wanted to adopt you. Anyway, eventually I said I’d want to even if you were a pink alien. I hate pink.”

This was apparently all the explanation she would receive from the woman and Kara was shocked, she’d swear she was experiencing some sort of equipment malfunction or glitch again. “Well, Corporal, I think you broke her again.” 

Kara shook her head, “I see. Well, thank you for your clarification and kindness. But, I request that you not speak to the others about any of this and remember that I am not able to experience emotions as humans do.”

They agreed to stay silent about the revelation and Kara could tell they were not convinced. Maggie eventually continued her questions, “So, how old are you?”

“I am 7.” Five decades, really. She had been with Lord for seven years though, and it’s the age he told her to go with. Rao, she will always hate lying. 

Alex whistled, “So, you’re a really early version and you look like this? No other models out there like you.”

“I had been modified many times over the years. Lord, likes this version best and says there will never be another like me, that I am unique.” She’s certainly been prodded and cut up many times since she’s landed here.

“Oh, yeah,” Maggie smiled, “He’s keeping you to himself and off the assembly line. Bet you get all the best upgrades along the way.”

“Yes, I am well maintained and often receive upgrades to operate at peak efficiency to better serve Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated.” Kara said through a forced smile. 

Sergeant Danvers and Corporal Sawyer both said their goodnights and went for some shut-eye in their separate tents. While L was getting ready to rest, Captain Henshaw approached her, “L, I need a moment of your time before you enter sleep mode.”

“Of course, Captain, how can I assist you?”

“We still can’t reach anyone. I’ve never in my entire career been on a training exercise without having access to command on the Global Network. You had any luck with your own tech?” 

She shook her head, “No, Sir. The network here is only local. There is something blocking our transmissions and the island itself from the Global Network, but I do not know what. I am trying to get to the bottom of it. I need to work with the facility maintenance teams and access the local server to problem solve.”

“Right.” She could tell he didn’t entirely believe her, even though it’s the truth. 

“I apologize for the lack of assistance in this matter. I will notify you when I know what is going on.” He nodded and left her standing at her own tent to go and offer to switch watch duty with Moores. She declined and disappeared from view.

Inside her tent Kara silently opened a meal bar that was stashed in her bag. Lord had created them for her when she first came into his possession. There are two kinds. They both have little taste, and plenty of vitamins and minerals, but one is packed with 3,000 calories. The bars do have slightly different tastes so she alternates between them and only eats them when no one will see. Androids don’t eat after all. She drank from a canteen she swiped on the tarmac and added to her pack.

L hears a faint buzzing noise and peaks out her tent to scan above them. She picks up the signals of four recon drones. She frowns, thinking it’s very odd for the drones to observe between the training exercises. She attempts to send messages to Lord, but nothing again. She lays down and switches to ‘sleep mode.’ A handy part of her implant that has helped her access sleep over the years. 

It’s close to 1 am and Lena is unable to sleep. She’s sitting up against her headboard in a soft purple heather sweatshirt she picked for its comfort. She sipped some wine and tried to let the darkness of her penthouse wash over her and relax her. But, all she can think about is work. Work and L. She still hasn’t received a single ping. Not a single one. None of her messages to the android have gone through. How is the island blocked? Why hasn’t the brilliant android fixed it yet? She downed the rest of the wine and set the glass on her nightstand. She opened the relaxation materials that L had sent her while she was still in National City. She read through them. She had tried the hot bath, soft music, meditation, yoga, and some light reading. She supposed the only one left that she wanted to give a try was sexual release. It certainly had been a long time. She slid down from the headboard and tried to relax and think of the things that usually turn her on. But, no matter where her thoughts went they just kept going right back to a certain Blonde Goddess. She hated that she was attracted to a machine. This machine though. God. She is beautiful. Her bright smile that she seems to try to hide, the way she takes in her surroundings, how she seems to enjoy talking with her, her tan, oh God that tan, her smooth skin, and that voice. Oh. That voice. Lena squeezes her eyes closed and touches herself and runs through the recent playful conversations she had with L. She imagines they had them in an elevator, together, instead and it leads to L’s hands touching her. Squeezing her hips and pushing her carefully against the wall. L is assuring her that she’s cut the feeds and can hide her encounter from her damn creator. Her mouth on her throat and teeth at her ear. Lena can’t stand it anymore. She’s lost in ecstasy and bites her lip to keep from screaming out the android’s name when she rides out a strong orgasm.

Across the ocean Kara is having a less desirable time. She is dreaming though. She hasn’t had a dream in so many years. She’s in her quarters at Lord Tech on her couch watching a staticy feed and flashes of a distorted data stream. Then blurred ones and zeros style footage of herself walking through the woods looking up at the thing monitoring her. She’s suddenly cold and feels goosebumps forming on her skin. Then footage of what looks like a soldier being torn apart, another being shot, all the while the skull numbing buzz of the recon drones gets louder and louder and louder. Through the buzzing she hears the familiar, smooth voice of Lena calling to her, ‘L? L, wake up.’ The blurred, grainy footage of a man and woman in civilian clothes barely dodging gunfire, being chased by something in the darkness. ‘Wake up, L. You have to wake up. You have to save them.’ Kara’s head began to hurt as she tried to force herself awake. Lena’s voice vibrating in her skull again, ‘Kara Zor-El, you have to save the humans.’

Gunfire. Actual gunfire is what manages to wake her up from her crazy dream. She sits up and crawls out of her tent, trying to figure out what has happened. Sleepy Marines are doing the same thing. They’re checking their guns and doing a head count. 

The gunfire gets further and further away and Captain Henshaw makes sure everyone is geared up and ready to move. “Moores is out there and we have to find her and assist. Ammo live and Stay Frosty.”

Kara keeps scanning the area, picking up nothing as they travel in the darkness towards the last direction they heard the Corporal’s gunfire. The only thing visible is everyone's blue LED lights attached to their rifles and L’s glowing cybernetic implants. Conversation is non-existent. Everyone is completely focused.

It’s been hours and daylight is now coming into its infancy. The dew has collected on everything and the ground is slippery. The team is following the trail of Moores’ footprints that they were lucky enough to eventually come across in the night. They seem to end suddenly in a small field of open tall grass. They spread out to comb the area. After a couple minutes of thorough searching; the Captain holds up a hand when he notices a patch of yellow grass covered in fresh blood.

Further along the opening Danvers yells, “I see her!” She commands Olsen and Vasquez to follow her to investigate. Back into the tree line they all go. 

A short ways ahead Danvers has dropped to her knees to check Moores for vital signs and both Olsen and Vasquez are searching the area for hostiles. Kara scans the area and realizes what is going on. She feels cold and her chest suddenly hurts at the thought.

Corporal Moores wakes up with a start, but is barely conscious, bleeding profusely, sitting on the ground, gasping for air, with her back to a tree. She’s looking around and trying to push Danvers away. She’s muttering and making no sense. Completely panicked. 

Olsen is yelling, “What the fuck is going on?! What was she running from?! What the fuck happened to her?!?” Vasquez fusses with him and L catches up. Kara stands next to Henshaw who is trying to get coherent words out of his panicked soldier. “Captain, this is your training location from yesterday. This is a trap.”

Everyone grips their rifles and scans the area down the barrels. Hanshaw looks up and sees the ridge from yesterday and further down the scorch marks from the Reaper One blast he set and the mortar scars from the artillery cannon they used. The damage has been carefully covered with brush and branches. He grits his teeth, “Shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me a kudos and or a comment. I'd like to know what you think.
> 
> Kudos please!?! :)
> 
> Thanks!


	5. Re-Task

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a trap!  
> Lena is tired of waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Henshaw is beyond pissed that they fell for a trap. He curses to himself and tells his team to prepare for a firefight. L suddenly feels a sharp pain in her head and neck. She feels overwhelming nauseous and after a moment she then feels her implant turn off. She blinks in surprise. 

“Where are they!?! What’s happening?!” She hears Vasquez yell as she takes cover.

“What the fuck is happening?! This isn’t a scheduled training!” Olsen says or yells.

Kara can’t tell if they’re talking, whispering, or screaming. She is completely disoriented by the sudden arrival of her Kryptonian abilities. She tries to focus and tames the bile threatening to escape. She’s able to tune out all of the commentary happening around her and then she hears it. A click of a rifle in the distance; the sound so clear and close as if it’s an audio clip being played in her head. The large round is heading right for Corporal Vasquez. She watches as it starts heading directly for the Corporal. Kara is moving slower than she would like to. Her cells haven’t had the chance to soak up much solar energy as only a few sun rays are starting to make their way into the forest and she’s not adjusting to this sudden physical change with ease. 

The impact is brutal. Kara knows that unless it’s literally blocked or removed from her mind; she will never forget this moment and never forget her screams. Her chest aches for the woman and the pain she is in. It reminds her of her childhood though, and she doesn’t have time to slip into any of her memories of being strapped to a metal table. Why couldn’t Lord block those memories? 

She does manage to grab Vasquez and move her over a couple of feet (just over half a meter) before the impact of the round. Instead of getting a hole the size of a recon drone blown through her midsection; she gets her right forearm blown entirely off. Her elbow down is nothing but scattered pieces on the forest floor, Vasquez’s own tactical vest, and part of Kara’s suit jacket.

The team takes cover as hundreds of bullets begin to fly at them, Moores muttering loudly her wounds hastily wrapped by someone, and Vasquez screaming at the top of her lungs. As she screams, Kara drags her behind a large fallen tree trunk. Kara is trying not to panic. Trying so hard. The sounds, sights, and smells were so strong that she felt sick again. Dirt and tree bark kick up from the rain of bullets and cover them, sticking to Vasquez’s blood splatters. Kara took a quick breath to settle herself and placed one hand around Vasquez’s wounded arm to clamp blood flow and her other hand she actually put inside the woman’s mouth. She knew she’d need something to bite down on for the pain and she just reacted more than thought. Those fearful and confused brown eyes are boring into her as she focuses and uses her heat vision for the first time in so long. A quick burst to cauterize the wound. Kara lets the woman grind her teeth into her hand; she is shaking violently and looking at L in shock while she is trying to not go into actual shock. Kara removed her hand when she let go. Vasquez grit her teeth some and closed her eyes. She knew androids had some pretty nifty mods, but lasers and...shit...it’s skin in her mouth felt real...but, skin that doesn’t tear? What the fuck? How is she even real?

Danvers runs and slides behind the trunk where L and Vasquez are. 

“You okay? Corporal? Vasquez? Dammit, Susan. Are you okay?” Alex is looking baffled at the wound that has been neatly burned close. Vasquez is pushing against the fallen log behind her and has a death grip on L with her left hand.

Susan feels light headed and wants nothing more than a stiff drink, pain meds, and a long nap right now. “Fuck, no. I’m not, but I will be. Robot here burned the wound shut. I may fucking pass out at any second now and you better not hold it against me Danvers.”

Danvers shook her head, “Christ, I won’t, but we can’t have you doing that right now.” She pulled a syringe from a medic-pack on her leg and injected the contents into her wounded arm.

Vasquez pushed the back of her head against the trunk, spitting, and gasping from the pain. She grasped at the android’s hand that she hadn’t realized she had even been holding onto, “God Dammit, Danvers!”

“It’ll help prevent infection, numb the pain, and spike your adrenaline to keep you alert.”

“Fucking fantastic, thanks.” She looked into L’s eyes and realized that while still a bright blue, they were not glowing the usual cybernetic blue. Wait, what?

More large rounds land nearby them from the robots shooting at them from up on the ridge. These robots are three or four times larger than the tiny rovers from yesterday. These are S.A.R. Harbinger Gunner units. Danvers notices a signal from Captain Henshaw. They both toss smoke grenades between their team and the hostile robots. They all move out. Moores and Vasques too, with assistance, and shooting at the bots in their way. Vasquez is using a standard issue handgun and is being shouldered by L. She shoots and thinks about how the android is making a damned good field buddy. Maybe they do need some assigned tech to their unit after all. 

Captain Henshaw and Sergeant Danvers yell for everyone to keep going to keep gaining higher ground. They are going to attempt to flank the Gunner Units. Sergeant Lane is shooting and taking cover, all the while looking for a nice place to get in some clear shots. Her Lord Tech aim assisting contact lenses helping her damage, but not destroy one of the gunner units.

Henshaw manages to flank them to one side and fires at them. His bullets did little damage. The bots turn their attention to him, but instead of returning fire they just stop and back away into the smoke until he can no longer see them, “What the hell?”

In the woods Corporal Sawyer is running. She backs into a tree and is looking for the robot that split her from the group. It tried to grab her in the smoke and she ran to lead it away. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. First thing she noticed was that it was a little damaged and the second was the blood caked on it. It’s tall, impossibly fast, running at her with several claw-like legs, and apparently has advanced cloaking abilities. Unfortunately, in her escape she must have damaged her radio comms. She glanced at the device on her vest strap. Fuck. The receiver was slashed. Had its claw hands really gotten that close to her? Shit! 

She is trying to control her breathing, her helmet strap feeling like it’s choking her now and she can’t help but try her comms anyway, “Danvers? Henshaw? Anyone copy?” She hears something near her and she takes off running again. She tries to not panic and instead keeps going and mentally thanks Alex Danvers for vastly improving her cardio and stamina since they met. 

Maxwell Lord is sitting at his desk drinking his morning coffee. As he enjoys about half of the drink he starts to wonder about L. He’s hoping that this little trip he’s let her take will make her see that he’s really protecting her by keeping her here at his side. The world is such an ugly place. 

He checks for any progress reports or messages from L and is confused why she hasn’t sent any. He sets his coffee mug aside and opens a communication window to connect to the Harbinger Facility and frowns when it says the facility is still offline. “Really? Still offline? What the hell is going on down there?” He tapped away and saw that it really had been going on three weeks now of no contact with the facility. It’s not abnormal for training facilities to be ‘dark’ for a couple of weeks. Only in the sense that they tend to close themselves off as they are busy running diagnostics, repairing tech, doing upgrades, and maintaining everything from buildings to drones and environment. But zero contact? For this long? Not normal. He’s never had a project go offline before. He made some calls and was miffed to learn that several families had contacted HR over the past couple of weeks with concerns and that- NO ONE THOUGHT TO INFORM HIM. He threw his coffee across his office. The mug shattering and coffee splashing across the window. The brown liquid runs down the surface and drips onto the floor. In the reflection of the glass Lord continues to throw objects across his office and flip over a couple of chairs. 

He steadies his breathing somewhat, runs his hands through his hair to tame the strands that escaped his previously perfectly coiffed style. He picks up his tablet and goes to current projects and then eventually gets to training facilities. He clicks on the Harbinger 1 facility and opens the associated files. He may as well familiarize himself with the project some until L contacts him. He speaks to his virtual assistant and tells it to send in a person. Whatever employee happens to be closest to his office at the moment. Not having L here is very inconvenient.

A few seconds later a man that he doesn’t know walks in and looks confused, “Sir?”

He doesn’t look at him for more than a second and waves his hand out over the office, “I need a replacement coffee and have someone come in here and clean this all up. Immediately.”

The man frowns and leaves the office. 

Cat and Winn had been relentlessly chased up to this point. Both of them gasping for air, and dripping in sweat, as they crouch behind a boulder amongst tree and bush cover. Winn checked to make sure the camera attached to his vest was even still working and checked his tablet to see if the thing was still shadowing them. Last night, while they had a couple hours break from being hunted he managed to find and isolate the signal source that the big ones have. He can at least tell when they’re nearby now. Cat gestures at the tablet and shakily asks, “Where is it?” Daylight has started to enter the woods and at least that made it easier to handle. Psychologically and physically. It was better than being terrified and scrambling in the darkness.

He swallows, “It’s still just over there. I think it’s waiting-oh God.”

“What now?” Cat asks in a tired, quick huff. 

“There’s another one coming right at us.”

“Which way?” Please, no, she did not pick this story to die for. It’s worth it, but survival would be really nice too. She does not want Carter having only his father and her mother to raise him. This trip was a bad idea. 

He is shaking from nerves and adrenaline and shaking his head as he talks, “I don’t understand, the one that just showed up is leaving already and the one that has been chasing us all night is now headed to just…,” he points beyond their hiding spot, “...over there.”

Then they hear footfalls and a woman’s voice trying to contact people. “Danvers? Anyone? Lane? L? FUCK!” She sounds tired and more than a little angry and maybe a little scared. The two civilians peek over the boulder and spot a Marine. She ran into their view and now her back is to a tree as she gripped her rifle ready to shoot at the hidden enemy. Winn whispers to Cat, “We have to warn her,” he looks at his tablet, “that thing is right on top of her.”

Cat whispered, “Winn, I think she knows that.”

Maggie doesn’t see anything, but she can _feel_ it watching her. Hunting her. Was it still the large bot that tried to grab her in the smoke? She takes a breath, steps away from the tree, and catches a glimpse of light blonde hair. Then she sees a woman’s head bob up from behind a boulder and then a man do the same. They wave for her to get back to the tree and hide. When she’s about to comply their faces suddenly change; they look terrified. Maggie feels like ice has been poured down her back and the hairs on her neck stand up. Despite wanting to run again or drop to the ground and pray it away. She turns around, ready to fight, and she is immediately, roughly, picked up by her neck by a large robot like the one that chased her here. But, this one wasn’t covered in dried blood. “Let me go!” The thing picked her up and lifted her to it’s full 19 foot height (almost 6 meters). She dropped her rifle in the struggle to try and loosen the grip around her neck. “Let me go, dammit!” She feels her helmet strap snap and it falls from her head. It clatters to the ground and lands on her discarded rifle. The pressure increases and her vision is starting to falter. Maggie knows she is about to die.

Cat jumps out from behind the boulder, “Let her go, you fucking tin can!”

Just as she screams to try and distract it, self-preservation suddenly be damned apparently, a Gunner Unit robot comes up through the trees and just stops a ways out before getting closer to the large Multiarm Unit. The Multiarm looks to the Gunner and back at the soldier. The large rifle on the Gunner Unit target locks on Sawyer’s head and makes a click noise. Cat screams again, “Noooooo! Don’t!”

L is watching Danvers clean and wrap Vasquez’s arm. For a few minutes now her implant has been trying to come back online, but it has turned completely off right now. She hears Henshaw trying to contact Sawyer on the comms. She misses the worried expression on Danvers’ face. Then crystal clear, as if it were happening right next to her she hears, “Noooooo! Don’t!” Her Kryptonian blood feels like it runs cold in response to the desperate cry. It’s like everything around her has frozen and she is moving towards the voice without even thinking. She’s moving so fast the leaves don’t have time to even move yet as she flies over them. Sun rays hit her skin and when she blinks she is _in_ the air between Corporal Sawyer and a large bullet round flying right for her head. The bullet is slowly spinning towards her. She looks behind her where Sawyer is high above the ground in a Multiarm’s grasp and then she looks over to where the two civilians she dreamed about were standing near by looking on in horror at the scene before them. Kara recognizes the woman immediately as Cat Grant. She’s watched her in news feeds since she landed on this planet. Kara turns her immediate focus to protecting Sawyer instead. She almost didn’t care that Lord wasn’t going to be happy about this display of power and the damage she’s unintentionally caused to her implants. She’ll have to just deal with everything as it happens and hope for the best. The best being possibly finding a way away from Lord and his control. She flies between the bullet and Sawyer.

Then, in an instant, the massive bullet crumples in her outstretched palm. The hostile robots look on seemingly just as confused as the three humans. Maggie manages out a breathy, “L?”

The giant Multiarm scans L as it slowly lowers Maggie to the dirt. It then activated it’s cloaking ability and was invisible. The Gunner was turning to stomp away the way it came when Kara threw the crumpled bullet back at it hitting it right in its power source. It made clunking and mechanical screeching noises as it fell to the ground.

Danvers glanced up from Vasquez’s arm to ask L to scan for Sawyer and to ask if she was doing okay that her implants in her eyes were glitching and not lighting up. Maybe she got damaged too? She looks around, “Where the fuck did L just go?” Leaves rustled in a large path that suddenly appeared and was leading away from her and Vasquez. What in the hell is all Alex could think. She looked at Vasquez whose eyes were closed and she was counting to herself. Unaware of whatever just happened to L and the leaves near them.

Kara looked for the Multiarm Unit but didn’t see it anywhere. She floated down to the dirt and knelt beside Maggie. The Marine was looking at her in awe, just as the two other humans were as they approached them. She gripped her throat in discomfort, “What are you really L? Even the most advanced androids can’t do any of that shit.”

Cat stood near the kneeling woman, “It’s you. Lord’s private alien project. He’s been passing you off as an android to hide you in plain sight.” Kara stood and looked at Cat in disbelief, how did _the_ Cat Grant know about her? It was like she could read her mind because she immediately answered. “A source told me about you and I saw a picture of you taken about four years ago and have tried to prove that you exist over the years. But, Lord keeps you close by and makes sure people don’t talk.”

Winn looked around nervously, “Yeah, until now. Can we-uh-do this when we’re not out in the open?”

The reporter nodded, “You’re not why we’re here investigating, but this is an interesting development and I’m very glad to finally meet you L.”

Kara studied the woman and man momentarily before reaching out to help the woman on the ground. Maggie stood with assistance from L, “Thanks, L. Let’s...let’s regroup and then cover...all of this.” Her mind was reeling. Not only had she almost died, but now she’s learned that L is an alien. Lord is what? Forcing her to serve him as an ‘android’? That ass hole is going to pay. And also, Alex better be willing to actually adopt L with her now. Maggie glanced at the tree line where the Gunner Unit was still laying there, unmoving with a hole in it.

L closed her eyes, feeling the pain of her implant turning back on and the artificial kryptonite emitters reactivating. She quietly gasped from the jolt before she opened them; her eyes were glowing again and her implant site burning. Cat was inspecting her with such an intense stare that L cleared her throat, pushed away the pain, and led the way back to the team.

She fought the urge to glance behind her back at the blonde. How on Earth did this human, Cat Grant know about her? She had been trying to prove she exists? If _she’s_ not the reason the reporter is here then she must be looking into why the training facility has been unreachable. She tried to make out what she and the man were bickering about behind her, but couldn’t hear anything clearly. Especially not with the odd buzzing now present in her head. That Multiarm encounter that she can’t remember having...that unit must have hacked her implant and done something. But, this all means that the weird dreams were true. Here are the civilians she saw running. So, these units have taken over the whole island? Where are the maintenance crews? Are they even alive? How did the facility get cut off from the Global Network? Why? Why is this all happening? Rao, help them. 

Kara walked near Sawyer. The marine would rub her neck often and fuss to herself. Her rifle slung across her back. Kara watched her but even so could feel herself slipping into her own thoughts. How will the rest of the Marine’s react? She’s sure Danvers will be accepting. What about the rest? Vasquez will probably accept her after what just happened in the firefight. What would Lena say if she found out about any of this? Would she believe the lies or see her for the alien she is? What would she think about her? Perhaps Lord will say he designed her to fly and shoot lasers? Maybe he’ll make them all sign non-disclosures and threaten everyone into silence. Maybe he’d be even more cruel than that. Kara knows exactly how cruel he can be. She could feel herself getting angry at that thought and then her code started scratching at her thoughts as the implants reacted to her emotional state. She clenches her fists and it’s like her implants start to burn. She stops, cringing, squeezing her eyes closed, and clenching her fists still. The buzzing in her brain getting louder and louder. The hot pain is spreading from her eyes, into her skull, down the base of her neck, and through her shoulders. She doesn’t hear Cat or Winn talking to her. She doesn’t feel Maggie’s hand on her arm.

Flashes. Flashes of images. Staticy 1s and 0s images playing in her head as the pain travels through her body. She can see an outline of a woman on her knees begging for mercy as a multiarm uses it’s clawed hands to remove her head. Gunfire and screams. Corpses littering a town. It’s face watching her now. Waiting. She can see and feel the S.A.R. AE 3258 Multiarm Unit in her mind. It’s taunting her. Showing her what it has done here.

Kara brings her fists up to her own face. Pushing them against her own eyes and screaming. “GET OUT!” The humans move back. Maggie's rifle is still hanging across her back. She knows the woman is fighting something else and not them. She literally just saved all their asses for fucks sake. They all wait. The minutes tick by as the alien keeps her eyes closed and is fighting with her own head. 

Suddenly she opens her glowing eyes and looks at them. She looks wild for a moment, her glowing eyes widened, her stance defensive, her hair and clothes covered in dirt and sporadic blood stains, before she starts to regain her composure. “I…”

Maggie reaches out and hugs her. “You’re okay.” Kara remains stiff because of the amount of pain she’s in, but accepts the hug, before telling them they need to hurry back to the group. She disconnects from the Private Network of the island. She can’t let it have access to her. Being initially hacked is bad enough. 

Lena walked back into her office after a quick marketing meeting about her newest L Corp. invention. She checked for a ping on L for easily the hundredth time this morning. Still nothing. She paced up and down her office floor. Her heels clicked along as she did.

“Oh L, where the hell are you?” If Lord would have let her be involved in the investigation she’d know what was happening or at the very least where the fucking training facility was. No. All she had was a little bit of anomalous code connected to a location code she doesn’t have the key for. 

She could hack it. Mine for location data. Lord will cut ties with her _if_ he finds out. She weighs the options of possibly losing one of her business partners over this. It didn’t take her long. Fuck yes it was worth it. She hated Maxwell Lord anyway. Hang in there L. 

She rushed over to her desk and accessed the original code that she shared with the android. She applied one of her best mining software to it and it opened after a few minutes. The facility is known as Harbinger 1 Training Facility and is somewhere in the Chukchi Sea. She input the exact coordinates. 

“Now I know where you are. But, it’s still offline.” Her light green eyes stare at the image on her screen. She tapped at the wireless earpiece in her right ear. 

“Call L Corp Satellite Control Station 5.” She hears the ring in her ear and waits not so patiently until someone answers. No one does. FUCK.

She calls the station again and this time some poor soul does answer. “Good Morning, this is Lena Luthor. I don’t appreciate having to call a second time.” The person on the line drops something.

“Good Morning, Miss Luthor! I apologize. Sincerely, How may I help you today?” He rattles off. 

“What is your name?” She asks in an even tone.

“My n-name is Randall Marten, Miss Luthor.”

“Randall, I need you to re-task one of my satellites to set it’s cameras on the coordinates I’m about to tell you. Task the closest one to the location and then you need to contact me _immediately_ when it has arrived. Do you understand?”

“Yes! What coordinates do you need to look at?” 

Lena smiles and tells him. 

It takes Cat, L, Sawyer, and Winn over 30 minutes to finally regroup with the rest of the Marines. Captain Henshaw is ready to rip L a new one, but his tirade is skipped almost completely when Danvers beelines to Sawyer who is still holding her neck. Her hair is in a loose, messy ponytail, and helmet long forgotten beside a tree in the forest behind them. Vasquez stands up, holding her right bicep to herself tenderly, “What the hell happened to you Sawyer? Are you okay?”

Lane has her hands on her hips, “Who they hell are these guys? Maintenance crew members?” She asks but then recognizes the reporter from The Tribune. “Cat Grant?”

Lance Corporal Olsen looked at the reporter, “Holy Shit, yeah that is Cat Grant. She’s with The Tribune. She covers stories from Metropolis to National City.” She smiled, proud of the recognition. 

Danvers glanced at L and the two newbies, but was busy inspecting Sawyer’s neck now, “What happened?”

Maggie worked to calm Alex’s frantic inspection and gestured to L, “L, saved me, well...She saved all of us from this massive bot and a gunner. This huge one though, it’s nothing like the battle drones and gunners. I’d be a splatter in the dirt if she hadn’t showed up when she did.”

Winn nodded, “We would have been too.”

Henshaw stepped forward, removing his helmet and tossing it. Damn things are useless against the ammo here anyway. “How did she fucking manage to save you from military grade bots? And how did Cat Grant and this guy get on this godforsaken island?!” Winn quietly mutters his name. No one, but Cat and Kara hear him.

Sawyer sat down near Moores, “Well, sir.” She looks at Alex at her side momentarily before looking back at her commanding officer, “L isn’t actually an android at all. She’s an alien that Maxwell Lord has been controlling. She can fly and stop bullets with her bare hands... She caught a Gunner Unit round aimed for my head and threw it right back at it. Fucking wrecked it.”

Silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed it please leave a KUDOS or a comment!
> 
> :)


	6. Outpost Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the truth is revealed and the situation on the island is worse than any of them could have imagined.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Henshaw stepped forward, removing his helmet and tossing it. Damn things are useless against the ammo here anyway. “How did she fucking manage to save you from military grade bots? And how the fuck did Cat Grant and this guy get on this godforsaken island?!” Winn quietly mutters his name. No one, but Cat and Kara hear him.

Sawyer sat down near Moores, “Well, sir. It seems that L isn’t actually an android at all. She’s an alien that Maxwell Lord has been controlling. She can fly and stop bullets with her bare hands... She caught a Gunner Unit round aimed for my head and threw it right back at it. Fucking wrecked it.”

Silence.

Vasquez walked right up to L and examined her closely. As physically close as Maggie had the night before when commenting on her lifelike skin, “Well shit! I thought I was just delirious from shock! You really did use laser eyes to burn my wound shut didn’t you?”

Moores sighed, this place was just too much. Ms. Grant, Lane, Henshaw, Danvers, Sawyer, Olsen, and Schott all raise their eyebrows and say, “Laser eyes?” In unison.

Vaquez is looking right in L’s glowing eyes and Lane asks rather offhandedly, “If she’s got laser eyes then why are you so close to her Vasquez?” Susan squints and takes a step away. But, she’s definitely not afraid of her new field buddy. 

“Your eyes weren’t glowing earlier when you were helping me, but they are now. What’s that about?” She asked.

L then looks up at the ridge above them, “We are being tracked from the ridge.” Her implant hurts and the damn thing turns off again. She cringes, they all notice she’s in pain and the glowing blue lights leave her eyes and her implant goes dark. It’s good timing though, as a robot from the ridge shoots a missile towards them. She uses her heat vision to shoot it out of the sky well before it gets close. The same seven humans that questioned the statement from Vasquez before yell, “Laser eyes!” Moores just sighs again. She just can’t with this island. L focuses and shoots another burst at the robot responsible for the attack. It explodes taking out nearby trees in a huge blast. She frowns and feels the implant turning back on. Pain shoots through her so fiercely. Through her head, neck, and down her spine that she drops to one knee and grasps her head.

Olsen lowers his rifle, “Woah! Are you okay?!” He helps her up. When she looks up at the humans around her a few gasp at the sight of her nose bleeding profusely. 

Henshaw looks at L in surprise, “Let’s get the fuck out of here. We need to find a place to rest up for the night.” He knows Vasquez needs a fucking Medivac and can’t get it, Moores needs meds and a therapist, Sawyer needs meds and xrays of her neck, and now L, who is an alien...not an android, is bleeding out of her face hole. He acknowledges that this fucking training has gone to shit so fast.

Winn raised his hand like a school child, “Oh!” 

Hank raised an eyebrow, “Yes?”

“Winn Schott Jr., Sir.” He greeted the Captain. 

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the man, “Captain Hank Henshaw, you have something to share with the class Mr. Schott?”

“Yes, sir. We were heading towards a possible shelter before we ran into Sawyer and L. I had some personal drones map out the island for me when we first arrived. They... will be missed. Anyway,” he laughed nervously, “there is a small, abandoned, concrete building north of here probably a 5 hour hike...or longer with breaks. But, I think it’s the safest and closest choice that we can get to before nightfall.” 

“Can you show us?” Henshaw asked the man.

“Yes! I have it all mapped out on my tablet. If you let me I can share the data with all of your devices too.” He smiled at the group.

With injuries and tough terrain the hike took longer than they thought it would. They all focused on moving and not talking. Saving as much energy as possible. Cat knows Winn has never been this silent around people in his entire life. Lucy would say the same about James. Maggie and Alex spoke some as they hiked, but only in private conversation. Kara helped Vasquez the entire way, giving her pushes up vertical buts and pulling her up on others. She was exhausted, but knew they just didn’t have the choice but to keep going. James and Hank took turns assisting Meghan. She wasn’t doing well. The cuts on her arms and legs kept bleeding and she surely concussed. 

It’s late afternoon when Lena gets the call she’s been waiting for. Jess calls her through the phone system since her office door is closed, “Miss Luthor.”

“Yes Jess?” She browses her emails.

“You have a call from Randall Marten. Do you accept or should I take a message?”

“Connect him! Thank you.” She calmed herself down and answered on the first ring, tapping her ear piece, “Mr. Marten. Is it done?”

He was nervous, “Well it’s taking a while to align it’ll be in position in a few hours, Miss Luthor. I’ve just sent you remote access to the feeds. It’ll alert you the second it’s locked on.” As he said it she got the notification for gaining remote access to the camera.

“Thank you. Once it’s there, keep the satellite there until I personally tell you otherwise.”

“Yes, okay. I will do...that.”

She thanked him again and ended the call. 

Night was just starting to spread across the island when they arrived at the abandoned building Winn’s drones had spotted. It’s a small concrete outpost nestled amongst the thick trees. They're all grateful for a place to take cover for the night. They start to settle in the long forgotten post and Sergeant Lane looks around. She lets her rifle strap dig into her shoulder as she turns to walk out the door, “I’ll take first watch.” She sits down just outside of the doorway and blinks several times. These damn contacts were bothering her again. She adjusted them and listened to the voices inside. 

Olsen sets a small LED lamp down in the middle of the empty room and adjusts the brightness to very low. In the dimly lit room L’s implants seemed to shine so bright.

Henshaw, Danvers, and Sawyer all sit and lean against the same cold wall. Vasquez, Moores, and Olsen lean against another. A third wall is being held up by Cat, L, and Winn. He’s sitting between them tapping away at his tablet. Then he realizes this is his chance for sleep. He turns it off and scoots forward enough to where he can lie down on his back. His boots a few feet away from the lamp now. He closes his eyes. Even if he can’t sleep, this will be enough for now. Not running. Not being shot at. 

Captain Henshaw breaks the silence, “Tell us the truth L. What are you really and why are you on this island with us?”

Kara lifted her head to look at the man. Her gray Lord Tech suit was dirty now, her hair in a messy ponytail, and traces of dirt and dried blood still on her from Vasquez and more dried blood on her face from her nose bleed earlier. She blinked a few times, but remained silent.

Cat Grant’s voice tugged at her attention then. A voice she knew only from the news before now. She’s listened to it so many times. As a child she would watch her show when she could sneak it and she sees her on media outlets sometimes. Lord hates her and Kara idolizes her. “She’s afraid of the repercussions that will befall her from Maxwell Lord. I also suspect that those implants are a very strong leash.”

Vasquez frowned, “But, you can shoot lasers from your eyes. Why be afraid? You mean he can actually control you with those implants?” Kara didn’t answer.

Danvers tossed a syringe to Vasquez, who was feeling the pain return in her arm tenfold, “L, what you told Maggie and me last night...how much of that was even true?” Kara swallowed and found her voice finally. She hated how the words cracked as she said them.

“I hate lying.” She closed her eyes and dropped her head to the concrete wall behind her. Even Winn was watching her now from where he was laying down. She didn’t open her eyes back up, “I’m an al-'' She stopped when his code scratched at her. “I-I-I’m an a-.” His words come out of her mouth instead, “I-I-I am an ex-ex-extension and tool of Lord and Lord T-t-technology I-incorporated. I am for the betterment of the company.” She ground her teeth and covered her face. The words forced themselves out anyway when she tried again, “I-I am to diagnose, analyse, and assist all Lord Tech e-employees and affiliates only as Lord personally s-sees f-f-fit.” She clenched her fists and loudly growled. “I-I am an a-a-alien.” She didn’t look at anyone as she struggled to fight his directives. “Th-th-the only tech... I. Have. In me is an implant-t-t...that controls me, allows me to connect to the G-global Network, tech devices, and so he can monitor me, and keep- my. Abilities. Deactivated. E-ev-verything else is skin and bone.” She stood up her knuckles white from clenching her fists so hard and she’s struggling to get every word out against her code. “I-I have feelings, but I’m for-for-forbidden to act on them. I’m supposed to act like an android because it’s what L-L-Lord wants. I have. To. Do as h-he commands.” She’s pacing the small stretch of concrete floor now, her eyes still shut. Everyone giving her their full attention, even Sergeant Lane sitting in the doorway. “He.” She moved her jaw around like it was hurting her and tried again, “H-he has a way to _take_ aw-away my abilities. Not permanently, but without them...I can’t...I can’t...when the implant is...active I have no powers and no...and no freedom.” She stops talking, feeling something on her cheek. She opened her eyes finally and touched her face. Tears. She almost sobs then and quickly stammers, “I apologize. I-'' Danvers has crossed the room now, and has her arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. Kara is so startled at first that she tries to pull away, to no avail. She gives in and rests her forehead on the Marine’s strong shoulder. 

Everyone’s watching and it’s pulling at even the hardened Marine heartstrings. Moores swallows and refuses to let any tears escape, “We got your six, L.”

Kara laughs pitifully, quietly, and she pulls away from Danvers. The auburn haired woman rubs the aliens shoulder a second before going to sit back down with Maggie who is definitely not crying right now. Henshaw feels guilty about how he’s been treating her but still wants his answers, “And why are you here with us on this island? What do you know?”

L sniffed and regained her composure feeling the directives loosening since she managed it all out despite them, “Though I am not an actual A.I. Lord really does expect me to function like one. I analyse data and assist with any project he assigns me to. An odd feed from this training facility was brought to my attention. It said that there was a massive reprogramming event just before this island dropped off of the Global Network almost three weeks ago. Lord had me assigned to your team for a training exercise so I could investigate and report back to him.”

He sighed, “So, you weren’t lying about that.”

“No, I was not. I came into contact with one of the larger robots when I foolishly left our group. The robot is like the one that attempted to kill Corporal Sawyer, Ms. Cat Grant, and Mr. Winslow Schott Jr..” He sat up at the mention of his name, realizing that she’s scanned him at some point. “These are new Lord Tech units known as S.A.R. Multiarm Units. For now, they are exclusive to the Harbinger programs only. I knew they were being delivered to this facility to start field tests, but I was unaware that any had been activated till being here and seeing them. They weren’t scheduled to be in use for another two months. It...the Multiarm...hacked my implant. It’s why it’s on the fritz. It messed with my memory and erased our meeting.”

Lane was inside the room as soon as she heard the word ‘hacked’ her rifle pointed at Kara’s head, “You’ve been hacked?!” Henshaw ordered her to stand down without even standing. He was alarmed too, but the woman should be allowed to explain. 

Kara looked scared, but relaxed some when Lane complied and lowered her rifle. “Yes, but, it’s not as though it can take full control of me. The most it can do is scramble my network connections, delete logs associated with short term memory...slow me down with feeds or codes...things Lord can do, but also when it glitches it seems to make my implants temporarily switch off. Which isn't bad, when the implant is off; I have the use of my abilities until it switches back on. I have turned off all of my network connections so that it cannot gain access...as a preventive. I-I don’t want to underestimate this unit.”

Winn stood to look at the implant site at her neck, “That’s a good call. But, hey...maybe I can find a way to keep your implants turned off?”

Kara nodded, “That would be great. I could help get everyone out of here if I knew I could actually rely on my abilities.” If it was only that simple. She frowned.

Cat sighed, “Mmm, you don’t want to swim with sharks halfway out in the ocean when your implant turns back on and you drop out of the sky?”

Kara shook her head, “I dislike sharks.”

A light blonde eyebrow rose at the reply and she laughed tiredly despite herself. Lane had gone back outside with Olsen on her heels to calm down and take watch together. 

Kara then shook her head as if to refocus herself, “What I was leading up to is that since the Multiarm hacked me I’ve received images of events on the island preceding our arrival. Now, I believe these units have taken over the whole island. They may have killed the teams assigned here and cut themselves off from the Global Network. How? I don’t know. But I think the Multiarm I came into contact with is the source of this mess. I think it’s found a way to control all of the robots here by using quantum entanglement. If we can disable it then I think we can stop all of this madness.”

Winn started to look nervous, “Oh man. Is this unit that hacked you an A.I.?”

“Yes, all S.A.R. Harbinger Multi-arm Units are A.I.’s. I suspect that Multiarm AE 3258 found a way to reprogram and take control of everything here.”

He rubbed his face and groaned, “Oh man!” He stands up and messes up his own hair with his hands, “Oh man, ooooh man, this is so bad!” 

Cat snapped her fingers at him to get his attention from where she’s sitting, “Winslow, sit back down, take a deep breath, and tell us.”

He did exactly as she commanded and spoke, “Artificial Intelligence's can hack android implants and spread infectious source codes around to other bots and systems.” He sighs heavily, “L, even though you’re not an android...you have the hardware. If you have that source code for this robot uprising stored on there then you can’t leave this island. You’ll infect the Global Network with it...it won’t just be this damn island! And if not you personally then one of them, I mean they disconnected from the Global Network to do their little experiment-!”

Cat is looking as alarmed as the others. Kara nodded, “Experiment and then reconnect and infect on their own. I understand, so you have to find a way to turn my implant off permanently and we have to keep this code from spreading.”

He sat back down with a thump, “The only way to make sure it didn’t come back online and infect the network would be to take it out of you and destroy it. We’d have to destroy them too. All of them.”

Kara cringed at the memory of getting it put in, “I barely survived getting it installed.”

Danvers and Sawyer looked pained at the comment. Captain Henshaw held up his hand, “We need rest and this is all a problem we will overcome. In. The. Morning. For now we rest.”

Moores huffed, “It’d be a hell of a lot easier to do that if we had food in our stomachs. Will someone please explain why you assholes left behind all our food with our tents on that plateau?”

Vasquez barked out a laugh and kicked her playfully, “We were in a hurry to save your dumb ass.” Moores scoffed and shrugged.

“Oh!” They all looked at L, who was pulling off her little crossbody pack, “I have food! They taste awful, but half a bar is enough to fill you up for an entire day!” She pulled out meal bars in simple unmarked silver wrappers. She passed halves around to everyone.

Cat Grant frowned as she nibbled on her half, “You were right about the taste, L.” The woman had ended up sitting next to her after passing out the bars. She then had a thought occur, “Is L your actual name?”

She looked over at Cat, “No, Cat Grant. It is not.” 

The woman looked at her to continue, “What is your name then?” She looked suddenly pensive again. Afraid to answer. Damn Maxwell and everyone who’s put so much fear in her. 

Moores spoke up again, “Hey, I told you we got your six. I mean it. Maxwell Lord doesn’t own you and he can’t control you anymore. It hurts, but now you know you can fight through that assholes code and talk to us. Plus, there’s an Alien Amnesty and Protection Law in our country and even he’s not above it. When we get out of here he will answer for his crimes.”

Kara let those words sink in. These people were willing to go up against Lord for her? She cleared her throat. She’s feeling so overwhelmed. It takes her minute of fighting coding but, “My name… my name is Kara.”

Cat reached over and gently held her hand, “Kara, it’s a lovely name dear.” Kara flinched, but managed to force herself to relax to the kind touch, just has she had with the hug from Danvers. Cat’s eyes on her made her feel happy and warm. The smile on her lips made her smile back. Cat removed her hand and Kara felt...sad. “I have a question to ask. You may not want to answer.”

Kara looked at her, “Alright.”

“Please keep in mind I’m asking out of personal curiosity and nothing you say will be reported on or published unless you want it to be.” She waited for Kara to reply.

“I understand.” 

“How did Maxwell Lord obtain you?” She asked so gently.

Kara frowned and looked down at the empty silver wrapper in her hands. The room was silent. She peeked over at Alex and Maggie; they both gave her supportive nods, but looked like they were dreading her answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying this please leave a KUDOS or a comment.  
> Thanks!


	7. Get in Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L and Lena meet in a flashback and Lena is ready to roll.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

“I have a question to ask. You may not want to answer.”

Kara looked at Cat, “Alright.”

“Please keep in mind I’m asking out of personal curiosity, you don’t have to answer, and nothing you say will be reported on or published unless you want it to be.” She waited for Kara to reply.

“I understand.” 

“How did Maxwell Lord obtain you?” She asked so gently.

Kara frowned and looked down at the empty silver wrapper in her hands. The room was silent. She peeked over at Alex and Maggie; they both gave her supportive nods, but looked like they were dreading her answer. 

She hesitated. The buzzing from her damaged implant was getting louder and she didn’t...couldn’t revisit those memories right now. “I...I-I’m sorry, but don’t want to answer.”

Cat nodded and apologized. Kara laid down, they already know so much about her...she always thought that if she had the chance to tell anyone it would be Lena. She wants to tell Lena everything. She wants to tell her how Lord got her and how he controlled her. Everything. The Marines, Cat, and Winn have already learned that she’s an alien before Lena. Will she be angry about the truth? No. Perhaps not, she’s the kindest human. Cat scooted closer and rested her hand on Kara’s shoulder. Kara reached for and squeezed the woman’s hand before she forced her eyes closed and entered into sleep mode.

Lena Luthor uncharacteristically left work early (aka not close to midnight) that night and was at home and had just gotten out of the shower. She was only in a soft pink silk robe, and was drying her hair with a towel when she heard her phone ding. She wrapped her hair again and squeezed the towel a few times before unwrapping her naturally curly hair.

She picked up her phone and dropped the towel at the notification. LEX LUTHOR ESCAPED FROM PRISON. 

“Dammit.” She sent a message to her protection service and received a response that they would double up next shift until he was captured again. It was stressful enough to be fearful of her own Mother to the point of even keeping a single guard nearby at all times, but both of them out there? Come on.

She walked over to her bar in the living room and poured a glass of scotch. This was all just too much for her honestly. Something was going on with Lord Tech, enough so, the fact that Maxwell Lord had sent L to personally investigate. Red flag. Then her Mother is always doing something shady. Red flag. Now Lex has escaped. Again. Red flag. 

What on earth is going on with L? A reprogram event isn’t necessarily bad, it's like a massive update. But the broken network connection, no comms, and sending an AI to investigate. It just doesn’t make sense for Maxwell Lord to send her. She’s easily worth several billions in tech and maintenance and he has always kept her within the Lord Tech building. Always keeping her safe. All employees sign NDAs and he’s notorious for being ruthless. She was impressed by the one she had to sign before becoming an affiliate and before personally meeting L. She can’t help but think back to that day.

_Lena signed the last page of the ridiculously in-depth non-disclosure and was beyond curious to meet this android property that was mentioned within the documents, because of course she read every word. Maxwell had a smirk that Lena didn’t particularly like._

_“L, come in here.” He drawled into his communication device._

_The doors to the office opened several seconds later and in walked the most beautiful woman Lena has ever seen. She is tall, lean yet curvy, tan, with long perfect blonde hair pulled into a neat high pony tail. She has bright blue tech contact lenses (ridiculously expensive, must be something Lord requires her to wear at work) and she flashes her and Lord a polite smile as she nears his desk. Lena shifts in the chair across from him and looks appreciatively at his assistant.The Lord Tech two-piece suit is the lab white variation and it’s perfectly fitted. The coat is buttoned in the middle and she’s wearing a light gray low neck shirt underneath. She thinks she understands why Lord has all of his employees in strict uniforms now. He offers them a variety of color and styles, but damn they look good. Especially on this woman._

_“L, this is Lena Luthor. CEO of L Corp and my newest business partner. You will be a mediator between us from now on and handle our communications and meetings.”_

_The beautiful assistant barely looks at Lena, she nods, and calmly answers, “Yes, Lord. Is there anything I can assist you with at the moment?”_

_He laughed, smug as always, “L, have a seat next to Miss Luthor.”_

_She blinks at the man and at Lena before smoothly complying. Now she’s sitting a couple of feet away from Lena and looking at Lord expectantly._

_“Now, L, you’re hardly even looking at Miss Luthor. Look at her.” She does. She slowly takes her appearance in. Her tight black dress with a collared neck and red heels that match her bright red lips. She looks at the woman’s neat updo and diamond earrings and at her impossibly light, green eyes._

_Lena is confused. Which is not something that normally ever happens. But, what the hell? Does he talk to all of his subordinates this way? She’s watching her and she likes the attention, but why the fuck his he making her do this? He’s a cocky bastard that loves to play games with people._

_L for her part is working hard to control her breathing and thoughts. The woman is gorgeous and she’s never had this sort of reaction to someone. She takes in her professional and well put together image and uses her implant and contacts to scan her and read her general biography. She had seen pictures and news coverage of the woman sporadically, but she never had the time or been allowed to really just look at her. Lord must be testing her or messing with Miss Luthor. Or maybe it’s both?_

_“Gain access to her files. Save all forms of available communication. Send her all of the data from the Praxis that I set aside for her earlier.”_

_L nodded and gathered the digital files. She was looking in front of her and Lena could tell the woman was using the lenses, but then it dawned on her. So she leaned back a bit so she could see the back of L’s neck and there it was. A round glowing access port the same bright color as her eyes. She gasped and stood up._

_L sent the data and looked at the startled woman, she stood calmly and faced her. “Miss Luthor I have just sent you the requested data. Please confirm.”_

_Lena gulped and pulled out her folded tablet from her bag, and there it was in her L Corp inbox. “Y-yes. I confirm. Thank you…”_

_The android nodded, “Thank you for confirming, Miss Luthor.”_

_Maxwell stood up, grinning from ear-to-ear, “L, tell Miss Luthor your purpose here.”_

_The android hesitated, looking at the smiling man and back to Lena, before complying. “I am an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated. I am for the betterment of the company. I am to diagnose, analyse, and assist all Lord Tech employees and affiliates only as Lord personally sees fit.”_

_Lena set her tablet on the chair she was sitting in and stepped closer to L, a look of pure awe in her eyes as she examines the android. “You...are the advanced android.”_

_L nodded and willed herself to keep her expression neutral._

_Lena got even closer and then walked around the woman looking at her as she did, “You are remarkable. Maxwell Lord, how in the world did you make one look so human? Act so human? She looks real.”_

_He grinned even more and smacked L on the back, “Trade secrets, Miss Luthor. You see now why I’m so careful. I have poured a lot of money and resources into crafting L as it is now. I don’t want anyone getting their hands on it or thinking they can make something better.”_

_Lena scanned the android top to bottom and looked into her glowing eyes, “Dammit, Maxwell, there is_ nothing _better than this.”_

_The words hit Kara in her core, it shocked her, and she knew she was about to blush uncontrollably. She walks away quickly to the door and without looking back at them she says, “I’m required at the assembly line. Please excuse me.” She thinks she masks her shaky voice._

_The door closes and Lena is still out of breath. That reveal was something. “She looks human.”_

_“I want it to. I made it to look and act human.”_

_“You’ve kept her well hidden from the scientific community.”_

_“Yes, well those that know it’s an android have signed the appropriate legal forms and others think it’s on the spectrum and dabbles with cybernetic implants. Either way all employees know that they will lose everything if they so much as utter a word about their work day. Money and fear are two powerful currencies.”_

_Lena is still standing in the same spot and she glances at the door, “She left abruptly without you releasing her. Is that normal?”_

_He nodded and walked over to his seat and got comfortable, “Oh yes, L runs off all of the time. I have it helping all over the company. L gets notifications when someone needs assistance or if there is a tweak needed somewhere on the line. If I need it I’ll summon it again and it’ll be here in a flash.”_

_“Her skin...her hair...she looks human.”_

_“I know. So you keep saying. It is a shock when you first meet L. When you first realize it. Others have tried to make their bots and droids look the part but they all look off. Wrong. Weird. I wanted mine to be perfect. L, is perfect.”_

_Lena tossed her tablet back into her bag and sat across from Lord, “I hate to say it but I’m jealous.”_

_“I knew you would be. How could you not? You know...Morgan Edge keeps sending blank checks in attempt to purchase L. Will you do the same?” He asked offhandedly as he peered down at something on his screen._

_She thought about it. She knew there’s no way he’d sell her or it rather. “No. But I will continue to marvel at your design.”_

_“L’s not just an android made to look human, Miss Luthor. L’s an advanced artificial intelligence. Free to move about within the company and assist everyone in need.”_

_Lena’s jaw dropped._

_He laughed and they spent the next two hours discussing Praxis and how L Corp would be coordinating. When they finished he called for L. Lena shouldered her bag as L walked in._

_“Yes, Lord?”_

_“L, did you resolve the issue on the assembly line?”_

_She nodded, not trusting her words as he looked on at her with suspicion._

_“Excellent, L. Now. I need you to take Miss Luthor to Dr. Mackie.”_

_She receives a message from Lord as she holds the door open for Miss Luthor._

_/ >ASSISTANCE REQUIRED DR. MACKIE. LOCATION- LEVEL B6 LAB C _

_/ >SIGN OVER INVENTORY TO APPROVED PARTY _

_Lord: Take her to Mackie, let them talk, show her around the approved tour areas I just sent you if she wants, and make sure she receives the secured case PRXS 2. See her out and make sure the case makes it to her car._

_L: Understood._

_Lord: Show off a little. I want her to be a deep pit of jealousy that you are mine._

_Lena is watching her as they walk. No idea what’s going on in her head or that Lord is messaging her but she can tell she’s working as they walk the hall towards the elevators._

_“Miss Luthor, we are heading to Level B6 and afterwards Lord has given me permission to give you a tour if you are interested.”_

_Lena grinned, “I am interested in anything you can give me,” and L looked away from her. Thinking about data to will herself from blushing at the woman._

_She opens the elevator doors without touching them, using her implant to control the systems around them, Lena caught on and continued to watch her intently. L looked at the panel and the screen lit up as she accessed the system and it flashes B6 at them._

_“He told me that you’re an AI.”_

_L nodded. Thinking bitter thoughts towards Lord and receiving threatening code from her implant as she did so. She cooled her expressions nonetheless. “I am AI, but I can only work within the limits of my coding set forth by Lord.”_

_“Why couldn’t he be happy with a typical bot assistant like everyone else?” She asked. The question didn’t sound harsh, but rather genuinely curious. The elevator was slowly descending the massive building and L looked over at the woman._

_“Lord is not happy with anything typical.” She held her arms at her sides, not too rigid, and focused on her breathing, “Are you, Miss Luthor?”_

_Lena laughed and L thought it was musical. “No. I have an AI assistant in my lab. I call her HOPE. She doesn’t have a body. She’s in my private network and helps with equipment as I work. I don’t particularly like the bulky androids walking around and even though they are useful for errands and greetings I still prefer to employ actual people to do those things. Provide citizens with an income.”_

_“Lord says I am the best assistant he has ever had. I do not complain about anything and have no reasons to miss work. No attachments to distract me.”_

_“He’s lucky to have you. If androids actually looked like you, like people, I might offer a body for HOPE if she wanted it.”_

_“You refer to your AI as ‘she’ and ‘her’. I am confused.” L, can’t get Lord to refer to her as anything other than ‘it’, ‘droid’, ‘assistant’, or much worse names._

_Lena nodded, the doors opened, of course Maxwell would shackle her in the worst ways, “HOPE isn’t a full-fledged AI like you and she’s contained in the sense that she cannot leave my lab and so far has no desire to do so. But she is aware enough that she asked me to refer to her in certain ways. I’m delighted to do just that.”_

_L looked confused and maybe sad. Lena fought the urge to hug the android._

_The elevator doors open. “This level is entirely dedicated to Praxis. When you are here this is where you will be working. Dr. Mackie has the lead on the project. He is currently in Lab C and has the case Lord wants you to sign for.”_

Lena opened up her laptop and checked the scan she had activated when L left. She knew that Lord valued his privacy and that he didn’t let his competition or the world for that matter see L, at all. His employees and affiliates must all sign extensive non-disclosures. So, she took the few images she had secretly taken of the android and put her engines to work shortly after L left. They’ll let her know when L is spotted anywhere on the Global Network then Lena will get a ping and a photo or video for an update. She wants to know exactly where L is. To _know_ that she is okay at the very least. But, days now and nothing? Her search engines work in real time. A single partial ping is all she needs. The Global Network is what she needs. L is on that damn Harbinger Training island and anything could be happening there. She FINALLY gets the alert that the satellite has been fully re-tasked and arrived. She drained most of her drink and then used the remote access program to watch the island. She’s thankful they’re upgraded to see clearly at night too as long as there’s no cloud cover. Signatures of recent detonations pop up as the cameras scan the terrain. Blackened spots and smoldering trees are some of the indicators. She sees empty landing pads on two different sections of the island. Why didn't the transport stay? She zooms in rather close to see bodies littering the ground in a mock city on the east side of the island. Near one of the landing zones. It’s littered with not just yellow test dummies but actual human bodies and some looked much fresher than others. She gulps down the rest of the scotch and immediately starts getting dressed. She grabs a pair of jeans, long sleeve shirt, a thick coat, and old hiking boots. She curses herself for getting L involved in whatever this is and at Lord for clearly being irresponsible with his tech. 

She’s not letting L and a team of Marines die if she can help it. Fuck Maxwell Lord and whatever the hell is going on that island. She’d just take her security team with her and give them all massive bonuses for helping her check on one of her investments...and her favorite android. Her own fucked up family can just have their newest crisis later. They can just..Get. In. Line. 

She put in her wireless, small earpiece and tapped the button. “Call Sam Arias.”

_“Lena? Is everything okay? Do I need to come upstairs?”_

“I’m fine. Lex is out and the world has gone to shit, but I’m fine.” She huffed. Clearly not fine.

“ _Okay.”_ Her head of private security nervously laughed.

“Miss Arias, I need you to contact my other pilot, Mr. Fife to have my Onyx Helio prepared for take off immediately. Fully stocked.”

“Shit. Where are we going with that bird? Are we finally taking the fight to your brother instead of waiting?”

“Not this time. We are going to an island possibly overrun by rogue training bots. We need to do a thorough clean up and if they’re any survivors keep them that way and bring them home.”

“Damn. A rescue mission. So, the big guns, Miss Luthor? And the entire team for this one?”

“Yes. I am transferring hazard bonuses into all of your accounts right now.” She heard a ding noise and Sam choked when she saw the notification.

“SHIT. That is the biggest hazard bonus I’ve ever received, Miss Luthor.”

“I’m on my way downstairs for us to take a car to the hangar. Let’s go.”

Sam messaged her people and the pilot. She arranged for recon gear and weapons to be delivered to the hangar immediately. Just as she slid her device back into her pocket Lena walked out of the elevator in clothes she had never seen the socialite in, her hair down and naturally curly, still wet from a shower or bath, and a thick coat draped over her arm. A tactical bag slung over her shoulder. 

“Miss Luthor, I’ve notified everyone. Are you sure you need to be present? We can go down there and clean up for you. I have a different team that can stay here with you in the city until we’re done.”

“I’m going. Your bonuses are also an incentive to keep me alive while out there.”

Sam nodded and followed her to the car, checking the area to make sure they were safe, and opening the door for her and walking around to the other side to sit in the back with her. She sent a message to her ex-boyfriend that he would have to look after their daughter for a few more days. She sent a message to her daughter right after. This bonus will pay for Ruby’s college.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, 
> 
> I hope everyone is doing okay! Take care of yourselves!  
> Did you enjoy this new chapter?
> 
> Much love,  
> Rancor


	8. Plan It. Sketch It. Do It.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning at the outpost is eventful and productive.

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens 

Winn was the first to fall asleep and the first to wake up. He struggled to sit up on the concrete floor. His entire body hurt. He rolled his shoulders and his neck trying to find relief. He didn’t.

He looked around the room. The sun would start coming up soon according to his watch. The lamplight was all he had for now. He counted heads and figured out that Danvers was on watch. Sawyer and the rest were sleeping. He got up and walked out the Outpost main entrance where the others had perched themselves on their watches. When he peeked through the doorway he didn’t see Danvers anywhere. He walked out and looked around. The forest was still dark and it was quiet other than nocturnal wildlife. Under different circumstances it would have been peaceful.

He heard a quiet whistle from above him and he almost jumped out of his skin. Danvers climbed down and landed next to him with barely a sound from her heavy boots.

“You scared the shit out of me.” He whispered harshly at the woman.

Alex smirked, “I don’t smell anything.”

He scowled but then found it funny and they both laughed. Careful to not wake up the others. 

"What are you doing up already?”

He looked down at the concrete, “I uh, figured I’d go ahead and get up and take a look at the map we have. Try and formulate a tangible plan and see if your Captain will approve.”

She nodded and looked around the area. She was tense. On guard. He was glad to have her watching out for them.

He excused himself and went back inside to do as he said. 

The group woke up gradually. Moores, Vaquez, Sawyer, Lane, Olsen all woke up as they heard the others start to move around. Sawyer stood and stretched. She looked around and saw that both L-Kara and Ms. Grant were still asleep. Kara was in the same position she was when she went to sleep. Her back to Cat and her circular port in the back of her neck glowing; the light fading in and out instead of staying on like it normally does when she’s awake. Cat had fallen asleep throughout the night and had scooted closer to the alien and wrapped her arms snuggly around her waist and effectively turned the non-android into her little spoon. Maggie instantly went outside to get Alex so she could see. Olsen had been leaning against the only furniture in the empty building, a set of metal storage cabinets, dented, rusted pieces now. He hopped up and took Alex’s place to stand guard.

Henshaw woke up to the sound of Goddamned _giggles_ . He gruffed and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He only ended up rolling them. Hard. When he saw what the Sergeant Danvers and Corporal Sawyer were _giggling_ at. Cat Grant was spooning the Goddamned alien. He is ready to go home. Now.

He chastised them and they at least had the common sense to be quiet about it until he woke up more. 

Cat woke up shortly after to Danvers and Sawyer leaning against the wall near her. They were watching her and Cat realized why. She had accidentally scooted into Kara and wrapped her arms around the woman. Her strong back against Cat’s front. She slowly unwrapped her arms and scooted away. She painfully stood up from the hard floor and fixed her hair and gave anyone looking at her a pointed stare. She sought out a sip from the nearest canteen and checked to see what Winslow was doing with his tablet. Henshaw and Lane were listening and looking at it with interest.

The sun was peeking out and the rays started to gently flow through the area now. A fog had settled in on the forest floor. The diurnal animals were starting to move about.

Kara’s light on her neck flashed quicker and then went solid and bright like normal. She opened her glowing eyes, her contacts re-syncing with her implant. She sat up slowly, blinked, and was greeted by the buzzing again. Louder now than before. It had buzzed lightly, like a distant hum in her sleep mode. She thinks she remembers dreaming about bumblebees flying around her. Existing with her and not aggressive. They were in a field of tall grass. She thinks maybe they hugged her? She finds herself feeling a little odd; she shakes her head and stands up. 

Corporal Sawyer steps in front of her with a chipper, “Good Morning, Kara!”

Kara tensed and eyed the woman but willed herself to relax, “...good morning...Corporal Sawyer.” The last time she woke up to be immediately genuinely greeted into the new day was when she was a child. It kind of threw her for a loop and made her implant feel even weirder. Lord’s code was already at it this morning with her sudden surge of _feelings_. She already felt different this morning and now the code is scratching at her mind. 

Maggie sensed the tension and toned it down a little, “How did you sleep Kara?”

Kara nodded, but she’s feeling slightly disoriented and like maybe she’s missing something by the way she see’s Alex glance her way and how Maggie is practically bouncing in front of her with her morning greetings. Cat is looking at her from beside Winn. “I...I think I had a dream.” Scratching harder. 

Maggie’s eyes roam Kara’s face and she doesn’t look so chipper now, “Are you feeling okay? You kind of sound...uh, you don’t look so good. Also...do you not usually dream?”

Attention in the room has totally shifted now from guard duty, morning routines, and staring at tablets to Kara. She decidedly, in this moment at least, did not like the attention. She felt weird. Off. She felt like she was somehow rested but still half a sleep in a field with a loving swarm of bumblebees. The buzzing was so loud she could barely hear the woman now. “I...I need some fresh air.” Her vision starts to warp and she feels like the room is shifting on its axis as she starts to stumble out of the small outpost. Her stomach turns with it, her head feeling like it’s on fire. She gets three long strides out the door and starts to dry-heave. Three more strides to take cover behind a large tree trunk away from concerned eyes and she loses it.

Olsen gags at the noises.

The Marines and civilians can’t see Kara from behind the large tree, but they can hear her as her system purges itself.

Danvers and Sawyer walk across the forested floor to the tree and around it to Kara. They both kneel beside her and Alex offers her her canteen and a clean bandana she had in her pocket. Kara looks shaken and confused. She only gets sick when she’s being poked and prodded or receiving a massive upgrade. It’s like the implant is reattaching itself over and over or rejecting her or malfunctioning so much that her entire body is reacting. She doesn’t know which is the case, but this is awful.

She stops vomiting, since she doesn’t have much to lose anyway. She finally sits back up after she wipes her mouth with the offered bandana from Alex (which she lets her keep). Maggie was rubbing her back gently and holds up Alex’s canteen. Kara takes a small sip. They help her up and she walks slowly back to the outpost with them at her side.

Henshaw made direct eye contact with Kara, he was concerned, but confused, “Are you okay, Kara? What just happened?”

Kara shook her head and walked past him, she went across the room and leaned against the wall for support. She closed her eyes. The room was trying to tilt again. “Implant. Damage is worse. Buzzing.” She grit her teeth and swallowed the bile that was attempting to manifest itself.

Vasquez was sitting and cradling her arm to her chest. She wasn’t in too much pain today thanks to another injection, “It got worse while you rested?”

The alien nodded very slowly.

Cat’s voice reaches Kara’s ears over the buzzing noise, just barely, just like Susan’s, “Kara can you focus on my voice?” The reporter walks closer, but stops a couple of feet away from her.

“I can’t. Attempting. Restart.” Her contacts look different. Like the blue lights are spinning and buffering. She’s done it before. Restarts. They are only ever done with Lord’s permission. Doing it without that hurt. The code fought her, but she managed to gain some control. When the system finished the restart the buzzing was more like a whisper.

They noticed that Kara suddenly looked more like herself. She wasn’t practically folding into herself, and her color was returning. She audibly sighed. “I am sorry. That’s never happened. The buzzing in my implant was so l-loud and it was burning again like when I got my nose bleed but then instead of the pain getting worse the room st-started to shift and my vision went...I felt so sick...I did a restart of the implant.” She crossed her arms. Mad at her own predicament. Mad at Lord. Mad at this stutter. “It is a temp...orary fix at best.”

Winn nodded and spoke up, “Your implant may be failing or it may be updating with that harmful code. It’s not supposed to be happening and your code is fighting it so much that you...a biological being...are feeling physical side-effects. The restart will help for a little while. Restart again if it gets bad again. But, eventually it won’t work.”

Cat looks at Kara. She looks at her glowing eyes, her messy ponytail, her stained clothes, broad shoulders, and curves. She asks the room, “What happens to Kara when the restart stops working?” 

Kara looked away from the hazel eyes observing her. She’ll have to tell them more about what Lord has done to her. She knows that now.

Winn gripped his tablet, he looked just as worried as everyone else now and Kara couldn’t stand to look at any of them right now, she knew when she did she’d have an emotional reaction, more than she already is, and it’ll cause his code to fight her thoughts. It’ll bring the buzzing and the pain again. Even so, Winn answered, “The implant could be taken over completely by the bad code, it could continue to malfunction enough that it...kills Kara, or it could simply fail and shut off. Our best bet is just to get it out of her as soon as possible.”

Sergeant Lane gripped her rifle, looking even more stubborn than usual, “Maybe it’ll shut off and then you can remove it then use those badass powers to get us out of this mess.”

Kara shook her head, “Winn said last night that it has to be out of me...I-i can’t leave it in m-my head. If I do the code spreads. If I have my powers then you can’t get to the implant. It’ll be stuck in my head.”

Alex closed the gap between her and Kara. Cat at her side nearby still. “Kara,” Danvers grit her own teeth, “What are you trying to say?”

Kara felt the scratching, the burning trying to come back but she manages to push it away just enough for now, “I’m saying that there’s not much out there that can hurt me when my powers are a-active.” She said it harsher than she meant to, but she continued in much the same tone, “I don’t know where they keep it or how they managed to m-manufacture it but only one thing can take away my powers or hurt me. Unless you have a special scalpel made from it then you can’t cut it out if my powers are active and if-”

Winn cut in, “If that happens you would have to stay on the island until we can get your special scalpel like that and remove it. I think our Marine friends here could intimidate Maxwell Lord into handing one over.”

Kara's eyes started to brim with tears. Alex and Cat reached for her and she shrugged them both away and distanced herself from them, “Y-you are...n-not...you are not listening...I should have t-told you more about my...He...Lord...He…” She snarled, “Temporary shut offs are one thing! Shutting off-ff-ff completely? The implant failing?!?” Her head burned and she could feel a nose bleed coming on. “That is entirely different! He...LORD installed me with a safe-guard. He wanted me to seem human. He wanted full CONTROL of me, but took precautions. If my implant fails he can tap a button and it detonates. If the implant fails, and n-n-no button is pressed by Lord, then it only has two minutes to reactivate or it detonates!” She wasn’t crying, she was so full of anger now. She could feel it trying to bubble over. His code was pulling her in all directions and she wanted it to end. “I REFUSE to die on this fuuu---o-o-on this island!! I will not die on this fucking island! I will NOT. I WILL NOT DIE HERE! I-I-I-...” Kara leaned against the nearest wall. She turned her head towards the cold concrete. It felt amazing on her throbbing forehead. She could feel a warm liquid run out of her nose and could smell the blood. She started to laugh quietly. Her face still pressed into the wall. 

They could see the blood started to run down the wall that her face was fully against. Her shoulders bobbing up and down in a quiet, angry laugh.

No one moved. 

They wanted to.

Alex wanted to hug Kara more than anything. Maggie wanted the same. Cat yearned to hold the woman and reassure her that they would all survive this. Every person in the outpost wanted to lift her up in some form, but for now they waited. Let her process. 

Kara gently pushed herself from the wall and turned around to face them. Her nose, mouth, teeth, and chin are a bloody mess. She had somehow managed to re-compose herself. “I will not die here. We have to remove t-this implant before it t-takes over, or before it fails permanently. Winn’s map...w-wasn’t there...I t-thought I saw a facility on the w-way to the second landing zone? Maybe...maybe they have supplies. A full s-s-surgical kit?”

Winn gulped, “Yeah, while most of you were sleeping; Henshaw, Lane, and I were looking at our options and that’s where we want to hit up next. I believe the island’s network and servers are housed there. We can gather intel, supplies, rest, and head to the other landing zone and wait for our ride.”

Vasquez groaned as she finally stood, “Unfortunately, we don’t know when our ride will be here. Pick-up doesn’t arrive till we signal the end of the training exercise. Can’t do that without the network.”

Moores groaned in the same fashion Vasquez did, “And we can’t activate the network to signal for help. Fuck this plaaaaace.”

Cat placed her hands on her hips, “Is there not a contingency plan for sending transport in case no word is received?”

Captain Henshaw, “There is but you’re not going to like it.”

She glared at him and waited. Instead Lane answered for him, “Two weeks. That’s how long they wait to send it if we don’t communicate. We were officially scheduled for a few days but these things can run long if the training program shifts. So they allow a max of two weeks.”

There were several minutes of collective discontent. During this time Maggie side hugs Kara. She doesn’t shrug it off and when Maggie smoothly sidesteps and turns it into a proper full bear hug Kara still doesn’t shrug it off. She doesn’t hug back but she does relax into it and rests her head on the woman’s shoulder. 

Alex doesn’t have to wipe a tear away at the sight.

Cat notices and stops complaining. Winn stops because Cat snaps her fingers at him.

When Maggie finally lets go of Kara; the alien just sighs and offers the woman a small smile before speaking up over everyone else, “I think the plan will work anyway. We don’t need transport if we can get this implant out of me. I can get us out of here two at a time to the nearest port city.”

Henshaw actually laughs, “Kara’s going to be our Goddamned Ark.”

The unit and Winn actually chuckle.

Moores does laugh but then she clears her throat from where she’s still sitting, her injuries aren’t improving, “I hate to be the one with the bad vibes, but what happens IF we don’t get your implant out in time and have to wait over a week for help? How are we going to survive an island full of these things? Our weapons don’t do much to these new Gunner bots and they definitely don’t do much against the freaky S.A.R. units.”

She nods. She knows they need more than one plan, “I agree with you C-corporal Moores. We need more than one pl-plan.” Kara fought against the code and against the sick feeling at the back of her throat. “I have seen some early s-schematics of both of these units at Lord-d Tech.” Kara felt a literal shock from the implant, she jumped a little and went rigid, and they all saw the electricity crackle from the base of her neck and arch right out of her port. Her eyes widened in pain and disbelief. 

“Kara!?!” Several yelled. Cat was at her side first gripping her arms and trying to get her attention. She wasn’t responding. “Kara! Say something!”

Kara forced herself to blink and sucked in a lot of oxygen and managed to look equal parts surprised, angered, and even amused. “I-I-...” She actually managed a little laugh, “Lord said I’d be in for a _shock_ if I ever t-tried to share company s-secrets.” She laughed again and then Cat relaxed a little and watched her. “I had not realized he m-meant it so literally. I’ve never been shocked by the implant before.”

“Christ, Kara.” Alex grumbled, “You’re giving me heart attack after heart attack.”

Kara scanned the Marine, “I see no evidence of that in your scans.” She attempted to joke. 

Cat hadn’t let go of Kara’s arms, “You’re okay? Really?”

Kara nodded and Cat let go, “Yes. I just...wasn’t expecting that. I think it actually helped me focus.” She said quietly.

Vasquez practically cackled at the admission, “Shit, shock therapy really fucking helps huh?”

Kara smiled, but tried not to think of the triggers that came with that train of thought, “Right. As I was trying to say...I saw schematics and I c-can describe to you their weakest spots for y-you to aim-m at.” Kara received another shock, it was visibly arching out of her port site again, and she looked a little wild. “Hmmm.” 

It took her another moment to regain herself, that one hurt a bit more, but it really did seem to help her focus on the task instead of all the pain and emotions swirling around in her head. She opened her crossbody bag and pulled out a small sketch pad and pencil. She dropped to the floor in a graceful move to sit with her legs crossed in her lap. 

She sketched out the gunner bots and pointed arrows at the joints between the body and the large gun atop it and at a small protuberance beneath it. 

Kara drew an S.A.R. unit and pointed arrows at a panel on the front on the unit below the torso section and at the base of the S.A.R. necks.

She did another with a close up of just an S.A.R.’s oddly shaped head and numerous glowing eyes. 

Another beside it where the protective glass shield is gone, the ‘face’ is uncovered by the clear glass, and the center circular eye is most vulnerable as indicated by Kara’s arrows. 

Another sketch of the eye opening up and a little claw-like connector extending out with a port cable. Arrows pointing at it.

She ripped out the pages and handed them to Captain Henshaw with a smile. They were so well done and in such great detail that he grinned at her. “This is exactly what we needed.”

Kara watched as everyone memorized the drawings and where the arrows were pointing. Her coding still messed with her because of her feelings and anger towards Lord, but it didn’t quite register that she was sharing company information and she wasn’t shocked over the drawings. Lane walked over to Kara. Her rifle swinging at her side and bumping her hip as she moved, “You’ve known their weak spots all along and you are just now saying something?”

Kara nodded and looked apologetic as she did so. “Before, I thought this was just a training exercise. I was not to interfere, simply, observe and then go check on the facilities. N-now we know they have a kill command to follow. I am so s-sorry. If I had known I would have told you all immediately.”

Lucy reached out and squeezed Kara’s shoulder, “Thank you, Kara. Better late than never, right? Let’s go kick some robot ass.”

They all fuel up with what is left of Kara’s meal bars and the water they have and they begin their steady walk to the facility that possibly houses the network and servers. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments and kudos. I really appreciate it and they helped make this chapter happen.  
> Take care of yourselves out there.
> 
> How do you like this update and where it's heading?  
> Leave me a comment!  
> I love hearing what you all think as you read!


	9. Daydreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara is exhausted and daydreaming about her favorite human.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Moores complained as they started to walk in the direction of the facility. She mostly does it because she feels like shit, is in pain, and isn’t entirely sure any of them are going to make it with this plan. She thinks about being hunted by that thing in the dark and being tossed around like a rag doll against the trees. She can tell by the way Grant and Winslow look around they have the same fear from similar experiences. It’s daylight now, but does that really matter? They are at the mercy of these things and are just lucky they let them rest for the night.

Henshaw assures everyone it’s a shorter distance than going back the way they came. They’ll cover more ground with daylight and rest. 

Kara is walking with Vasquez. She’s at her side ready to help her with the terrain if she needs the assist. The trek seems much more forgiving today. Less vertical, less rocks, a gentle decline in altitude as they progress. 

She scans the areas around them. Olsen shot an observation drone out of the sky a while ago. Other than that it’s been uneventful. A welcome break for everyone. 

As she helps Vasques and keeps checking their surroundings she thinks about Lena. Her favorite human. She remembers when she first started going to Lord Tech a couple of times a week for hands on work with a project that even Kara wasn’t privy to. She remembers how it always managed to brighten her day when she was on the premises and they interacted. 

_Kara was assisting with repairing a computer chip for one of the many technicians. She was looking through an advanced magnifier slide. With it and her contacts she could see the small chips components as if it were larger than her hand instead of as small as her fingernail. She didn’t use the small table clamp to hold it in place as she worked since she had precise grip and her hands were just as steady as the tool. She was slightly hunched over her work and not too aware of her surroundings since the technician in that particular lab had gone elsewhere for some test results and said he wouldn’t be back until after lunch._

_Lena had observed Kara as she worked. She was not in Level B6 with Dr. Mackie. The good Doctor said he wanted L to reach something for him and that he knew where she was and would rather go fetch her instead of sending her a direct message for her to arrive. Lena was excited to go find the A.I. and get a chance to look around._

_So here they are on Level B2. It looks rather similar in layout but the labs have various tech that Lena is trying not to ogle. But ogle she does, especially when she sees L sitting atop a stool, a little hunched over a worktable using a precision tool on a small computer chip of some kind. She was breathtaking in her three-piece Lord Tech issued dark blue suit. Her face looked like pure concentration. Her eyebrows were a little scrunched in and her full lips were pressed together making them appear to be a bit thinner._

_The android actually jumped a little when Dr. Mackie loudly greeted her as they walked in, “Hello, L!! Can I borrow you for a moment?”_

_L somehow managed not to drop the chip and momentarily wished she had used the provided clamp. She set it down on the clamp below the magnifying glass and swiveled the stool around. She looked at Dr. Mackie and Lena and she smiled politely. “Yes, Dr. Mackie. I am here to assist.” Kara swallowed down her nerves but was so happy for Lena’s presence. Dr. Mackie is kind and while believing she is an A.I. he doesn’t treat her poorly or rudely as some do._

_They head to the elevators and Lena is smiling brightly at her. She’s looking at her and thinking about how human the droid seemed. She looked like a beautiful tech working diligently on a project and even was startled by their arrival. Her coding is a marvel and she wants to understand all of it. Every 1 and 0. “How are you today, L?” Lena asked in her usual sexy voice. That is Kara’s opinion. She is unbiased._

_“I am well. How are you, Miss Luthor?” She asked as she clasped her hands behind her back to keep from visibly fidgeting._

_“I’m doing good. I’m happy I get to see you on this visit. Even if it is a quick one.” She shoots Kara a pearly smile._

_Kara counts in Kryptonian to will herself not to blush. “What am I assisting with?”_

_Lena looked at Dr. Mackie. The elevator stopped on Level B9. The lowest level and effectively the storage level. He walked out first and tapped his tablet. “I need you to retrieve these and get it on a cart so we can get it back to my lab.” Kara nodded. She tried to appear neutral as Lena’s eyes felt like they were burning holes into her._

_She knew the storage level like the back of her hand. A crew accepted tech to be stored. They crate the items, put them into the system, and put them away with a storage location tag and everything. These crews don’t retrieve though they are subcontracted and only come out once or twice a month. Most things seem to come here to stay but every now and then someone needs a little something and Kara adds it to her list for that day. She memorized the locations of the items and walked over to one of the steel transport carts that fit inside the elevators._

_Lena was watching her work and eyeing her constantly. Kara actually has a moment where she just wants to stop and ask her what exactly she is staring at. She used the Doctor’s tablet to discreetly check her hair. It was perfect. A high and tight ponytail with not a single strand out of place. She glanced down at her Lord Tech three piece suit variation in blue. The suit jacket and pants are a dark navy and the vest in a medium blue-gray. She has on a sleeveless button up white collared shirt underneath the jacket. It’s not commonly worn and she’s never worn it without the jacket around others. But it’s something she was allowed to choose and it’s one of her favorites. Still, the point is, her hair is fine and her suit is perfect and she doesn’t think she wants to know why Lena can’t keep her eyes off of her anymore. She might not be able to take the knowledge._

_Kara controls her breathing and hands the tablet back to Dr. Mackie with a smile and pushes it in the direction and aisle they need to go. “Right this way unless you both prefer to wait here.” They both say they will follow her. The floor is huge but Kara knows they can be in and out in 30 mins and Dr. Mackie loves to do things to get out of the office to stretch his legs. But, she wonders if Lena fills the same way in her stylish stilettos. She does hazard a look and the woman’s smile gets larger as she is instantly caught in her glance. Well. If she does mind walking around in those shoes she doesn’t show it. The first stop is for a crate the size of a large dresser and it’s on the bottom instead of a high shelf thankfully. It’s large and heavy though. The humans offer to help and Kara shakes her head. “No thank you. But, Miss Luthor?”_

_“Yes?” She asked._

_“Will you hold my jacket? I do not want to ruin it.” Lena nodded slowly._

_Kara observed the human as she took off her coat and passed it to her. She’s not used to people seeing much of her skin in a harmless situation, but she likes how Lena appears to be mesmerized. Dr. Mackie is reading something on his tablet and not paying any attention. Lena subconsciously licks her lips as she grasps the jacket and drapes it carefully over her arm._

_“Thank you.” Kara moved two large crates out of the way and found the one she needed. She slid it until it was flush with the cart. She walked around the cart and pressed down the brake and then she lifted one edge of the crate and slid the entire thing on. She made the very conscious effort to not make noises even though she wanted to. She may not have the use of her powers when the damn implant is active, but she is very strong without them. Also, that thing was very heavy._

_She releases the brake and pushes the cart in the direction they need to go._

_Lena is watching her and not following. Dr. Mackie actually notices it and speaks up, “Are you coming, Miss Luthor?”_

_“What?” She looked alarmed._

_“Are you going to follow us or not?” He said instead._

_“Oh!” Lena catches up with them in a flurry of clicks from her heels._

_Kara wants to laugh but doesn’t. She thinks about how attractive she was and how cute that little run had been and her code starts to affect her thoughts._

_A message pops up from Lord._

_Lord: L. I see the alerts. I want you to show off not show out._

_L: Yes, Lord. My apologies._

_The second item is a ninety pound crate on the floor. She taps at it with her fingers as she verifies it is the correct one and gets it on the cart the same way she did the last one. Lena was still looking at her the same way. Her eyes were mostly trained on her exposed arms, but also her chest and hips. If Kara looked in her direction her eyes would focus and she’d look at Kara’s eyes and grin. Kara smiled back and pushed towards the final item. It wasn’t any further into the level but it was several rows over. When she got to the general spot she mentally recalled the information from the location tag. She knew it was on the shelf about 25 ft up and that it was small. Only a five pound crate. But she glanced around and this particular shelving unit didn’t have a ladder. She looked around them. All of the others did. But not this one. It must have broken and hadn’t been replaced._

_She used her implant and sent a form to have a work order done to install a ladder here as soon as possible. The ladders are directly attached to the shelving units. They are not detachable. She crossed her arms and looked up at the shelf she needed to reach._

_“It appears the ladder for this shelf was damaged and not replaced. I have submitted a work order to have it done immediately.”_

_Dr. Mackie guffawed, “Oh, but that’s the capacitor. I can’t do a damn thing without it and who knows how long it will take them to order and install a ladder down here. Can’t you climb up there?”_

_Lena looked at L and up at the massive warehouse shelving, “That may be too dangerous.”_

_Dr. Mackie laughed, “She’d be fine and if not Lord can repair her.”_

_Kara eyed the metal columns that support each individual section of the shelving. They are thick enough for her to grasp and pull herself up and then she can plant her feet on the shelves on each side as she goes up and then back down._

_“Dr. Mackie, will this delay truly harm your project?” Kara asked as neutrally as she could._

_He nodded frantically, “Yes, Miss Luthor and I need this today. Please, L.”_

_Kara nodded, she worked hard to keep her expression neutral, “_ _I am merely an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated and as such I must assist.” She didn’t want to ruin her vest so she unbuttoned it, ignored the little woosh of air being exhaled from Miss Luthor as she unbuttoned the top three buttons of her sleeveless top and handed the vest over. Lena smiled and took a step back after accepting the article of clothing. “Thank you Miss Luthor.”_

_Kara pulled a crate on the floor level close to the metal column support and stepped up on it and began her ascent. She pulled herself up by firmly grasping the thick metal and securely planted her feet on each side of the shelf as she made her way up five levels. When she reached the shelf she needed she grasped the top shelf and slowly side-stepped along the edge she disappeared into the space for a minute and reappeared with a small crate tucked under her arm. She made her way back to the metal column support with the side-step and one hand sliding along and holding steady. She descended the same way and went in a steady rhythm not only to avoid having to be ‘repaired’ but to also avoid breaking a sweat or getting winded. She’s so glad she keeps up a strenuous workout program on her own. She slid the rest of the way down as the lowered to the bottom of the unit. She set the crate on the cart and walked up to Lena._

_“Thank you for holding those. They are a new requisition order and Lord would not approve of another order so soon.”_

_Lena tore her light green eyes away from L and looked down at the dark blue coat and the blue-gray vest in her arms, “My pleasure, L.”_

_Kara nodded, smiled as politely as she could, and plucked the vest from her arms. She slipped it on and fastened it. “Will you hold on to my jacket until I uncrate these in the lab?” Lena said ‘yes’ in a breathy way that made Kara’s heart race. Dr. Mackie was tapping away happily on his tablet again and already walking back towards the elevator without the women._

_Kara grabbed the metal cart and gave a push to get it going. Lena walked alongside her. Smiling as she did. In the elevator her smile seemed to broaden even more._

_Back at Dr. Mackie’s lab on B6 Kara pushed the cart through the large doors and took her time sliding the large crates off. The Doctor had already opened the smallest one with a screwdriver to pry the lid off. Kara looked around and spotted a small crowbar on a tool box. She walked across the room and grabbed it. She stood next to the crates, wiggled in the edge and pressed down on the different sides until the crate came apart. Lena found it all to be rather fascinating. When Kara was done she placed the crate pieces back on the cart._

_“I will deliver this back to Level B9. Is there anything else I can assist with?” She asked._

_Dr. Mackie shook his head, “No, no, thank you L. Really, you’re a lifesaver. Thank you.”_

_Kara nodded, “Very well.” She walked over to Lena and she held out her jacket to her._

_“Thank you.” Lena said as she handed it over._

_Kara smiled. She pulled it on and ran her hand down her ponytail to make sure it wasn’t caught in the clothing. She fastened her vest and her top three buttons of her white shirt. She buttoned her jacket and flashed another smile at Lena; this time she dared to use Rao given dimples too._

_Lena looked a little starstruck. Kara didn’t even care about the physical discomfort from Lord’s codes or that she was getting electronic threats in real-time messaged to her from him because of her thoughts and actions._

Kara had loved that day. The way Lena had watched her and how every time they worked around each other they were both like magnets; always pulling towards one another. She recalled all the times she was scolded by Lord, how he’d put short-term memory blocks on her as punishment, and all the implant coding that prevented her from being the way she really wanted to be. She recalled the metaphorical collar she always felt present around her neck. Alway tightening. It would sometimes loosen to only tighten more than the last time. But, she supposed an actual collar would be preferable to an implant that can control you and explode if you don’t comply.

Would Lena understand? 

Will she understand?

Danvers and Sawyer move and walk on opposite sides of Kara. 

Maggie slings her arm over the alien’s shoulders and she looks at the human and smiles at her. “What are you thinking about? Alex and I can see your gears turning.”

Kara furrowed her brows at the woman, “It’s just an implant and contacts. I have an organic brain, Corporal Sawyer.” Her code scratched at her on cue. She ignored it.

Maggie laughed and squeezed her shoulder and left her arm draped over her as they walked, “It’s just an expression. So, what are you thinking about?”

Alex scoffed, “About how to kill Maxwell fucking Lord?”

Kara frowned, “No. I was...thinking about t-t-telling someone about me. How they’ll react to knowing. If...t-t-they’ll understand.”

The entire group was listening to Kara as they trekked closer and closer to the facility.

“Ah,” Maggie responded, “I bet they’ll be shocked but it’s not like you had any choice in lying to them about it.”

The Kryptonian nodded slowly, “It’s...easier to fight the coding here. I’m not connected to the Global N-network and L-lord cannot see what I’m doing in real-time. Maybe they’ll understand-d once all of th-this is over and not be angry with me.”

Cat had gotten a bit closer to the three as they walked side-by-side. Vasquez noticed the reporter's not entirely professional interest. “Is this someone special to you?”

Kara blushed. She hadn’t expected the question and she was too tired to keep hiking, fight code, tune out the buzzing of her damaged implant, AND fend off a blush? Dear Rao.

“Oooooo! Who is it?” Maggie asked, suddenly too delighted. Even Lucy and Alex were watching the alien now.

“Oh. I-I...I mean it’s not like...It’s p-professional.” Kara stuttered. Damn implant is making her sounds so pathetic and it’s making her even more annoyed. Winn and James laugh.

Cat grinned and kept her voice upbeat, “I don’t blush like that over my professional relationships.” Of course some lucky soul has the woman’s attention. Dammit. 

Kara exhaled out of her nose and shrugged off Maggie. “I wasn’t expecting the q-question. It is professional. I j-j-just really,” her code started fighting her with her rise in emotions over thinking about Lena, “I just always look...f-f-forward to seeing her and working with her. She’s...before meeting any of you she was the only human I-I-I liked. She’s my...favorite h-human.”

Alex smiled kindly at her, “She treated you with respect and you enjoyed working with her.”

“Yes.”

Maggie slung her arm over Kara’s shoulders again, “But, is she pretty?”

Kara to her immense triumph, did not blush. But she did smile, showing off her perfect teeth and dimples and responded with a cheerful, “She is beautiful.”

Maggie and Alex giggled and squeezed Kara as they walked. Henshaw rolled his eyes but also was a bit interested to see this woman that Kara thought of so fondly.

Kara let the women pester her for a while before shrugging them off and checking on Vasquez. She laughed and waved the alien away saying she was fine. She can walk without her since she fortunately has both of her legs. Kara nodded and then went further up the group to Lane and Moores. She relieved Lane and assisted Moores with her walking. She was doing better than yesterday but the woman still needed help and medical attention as soon as possible.

“Thanks, Kara.”

The alien smiled at the marine. “You are welcome, Corporal Moores.”

Maggie smacked Alex as they followed the group from the back. She was smacked back and fought back a laugh. She calmed her girlfriend down with a gentle kiss on her cheek when she was sure no one was watching them. They smiled at each other and Maggie signed to her.

-So we can definitely adopt Kara right?-

Alex smiled. -Yes. Duh.-

-Good! She’s ours, now. She’s family. We can tell her later.-

-I love you. Maggie.-

-I love you too, Babe!-

An observation drone flew above them and Olsen shot a grenade round at it. It hit it perfectly and the bot exploded and smoke plumed up above the tree line. 

The marines checked their surroundings, Kara did a scan of the area and didn’t see anything else. They all picked up their pace towards the facility housing the servers and hopefully some supplies.

Lena sat in the co-pilot seat aboard her private military grade hammerhead helio. Her pilot Mr. Fife assured her they’d be in physical sight of the island within a couple of minutes. She was watching the island via her satellite and her heart caught in her chest when she saw a small explosion in a wooded area.

She got up and walked over to Sam, “Look.” She handed the tablet to her head of security.

“Well, for now we can assume that’s where the survivors are. The closest area to them is this building.” She pointed to a large building with satellites surrounding it. “The city landing pad isn’t too far from there. A couple of hours walk. We can land there, leave a couple people to protect our transport, and head that way. We can check the facility for them.”

Lena nodded, “And if they’re not at the facility?”

“We’ll send up a flare and hold out until they arrive or we go track them if they take too long.”

Lena agreed and watched the team finish suiting up in protective gear Lena made herself for her security team. Even Lena strapped on a protective light-weight vest under her thick coat. Sam called out for everyone to verify their gear. Everyone had armor piercing rounds and electronic disruptor rounds to help them short-circuit and weaken enemy bots if that really is the problem here. 

The CEO sat back in the co-pilot seat when Fife told her the island was in view.

She steeled her voice, “Fly over where we saw the explosion and in the direction of that facility before we go to the landing zone. Maybe they’ll get the hint.”

Sam gripped the back of the two pilot chairs as she stood behind them, “Good idea.”

Kara was still helping Corporal Moores along and the woman was feeling pretty good on some painkillers Danvers had given her. She had started trying to make Kara laugh by telling her alien jokes. “I have another alien joke for you.”

The alien smiled, “I’m listening.”

Moores grinned and asked, “What is an aliens favorite place on a computer?”

Kara thought about it a moment and then shook her head, “What?”

The Corporal grinned, “The space bar.”

Kara laughed at her and then with her as the woman started laughing at her own stupid joke.

“Oh god, these meds are great.”

“They seem like it. I wish I could have some for my nerves.”

“You know...maybe when all this shit is over I think Imma retire early and open me a bar.”

Henshaw laughed from nearby, “You want to own a bar?”

Meghan nodded and carefully stepped over a root, “Yep. I’d love to have my own bar.” She looked over at the strong young woman shouldering her, “I’d like it to be alien friendly and genuinely inclusive to everyone. A real safe place for everybody to be no matter the color of their skin, their race, or species.”

Lucy hummed, “Sounds nice. What would you call it? Meghan’s Haven Bar?”

Meghan Moores laughed, “No. No. Something stupid like, ‘Al’s Dive Bar’ and there will be no Al; just me.”

The group laughed, but Kara loved the idea that the marine wanted an establishment that anyone was welcome.

Before she could really think more of it they all heard an aircraft approaching and when they looked up a solid black, non-military hammerhead helio flew over them in the direction of the facility.

“Holy Shit.” Olsen muttered. Many others muttered similar sentiment. 

Henshaw ordered them all to pick up the pace to the facility that it looked like some help had arrived. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG the next chapter has Kara and Lena finally seeing each other again! Holy Shit. FINALLY.  
> Are you as excited as I am?!?! (sure you is babies)  
> Comment. Kudos. Let me know how you're feeling about the update.  
> :D


	10. R-r-reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Firefight and a reunion.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

As Lena’s private hammerhead helio flies over the deeply wooded area that they had spotted an explosion; she tried to see if she could see any people below. To no avail. She hit the wall of the plane and cursed under her breath. 

Sam raised her eyebrow at her boss/friend and took the time to address the team. She glanced over at the pilot Barney Fife and at the others in the belly of the craft. Everyone in black tactical gear Lena made specifically for them. ‘Better than anything you can source.’ Lena had said. Manchester Black nodded at her when she met his gaze, Ben Lockwood did the same, and Jack Spheer cracked a cocky grin at her. She rolled her eyes. “Listen up. No connecting to the Global Network. It’s down and it might be for a reason. The bots here are advanced SAR and Gunner’s from Lord Tech Incorporated. SAR is new and we know nothing about them. Use the disruptor and armor piercing ammo on everything and try looking for weak spots. Conserve what you can, but if you see an opportunity I’d kick your ass over if you let it pass, then please by all means, go a little crazy. Be on the lookout for survivors. They are the priority. When we land in the mock training city the landing pad is atop the largest building. It gives us a great P.O.V. but also exposes our craft. Fife and Black will stay with the helio to keep our ride safe and worst case they bolt and go get bigger guns to save our asses. They keep the crafts shielding active and they have permission to use the heavy ammo and explosives.” She looked at Lena. The CEO nodded her approval of the orders. “We don’t know what’s happened here but SAT images and feeds show corpses so we know there have been casualties and no contact for three weeks.”

Lockwood, a seasoned sniper, raised his hand slightly from where he was gripping his rifle, “Three weeks and we’re hoping to find survivors?”

Lena nodded, “Yes. A few days ago another team came to the island to investigate. Evidence shows they will need assistance. I don’t know if there are any people left from three weeks ago but the newer arrivals have a chance.”

“Yes, Ma'am. Understood.” He replied respectfully. 

Black, an ex-MI6 officer, inclined his head, “Fife and I will keep this ride safe. Don’t you worry.”

“Indeed.” Fife murmured as he removed his pilot helmet and picked up a rifle.

Spheer, a demolitions expert, laughed, “And I’ll be blowing up whatever the hell you’d like me too.”

Sam and the others, except Lena, laughed at the man’s antics. Lena was too worried about L. Who had she come here with? Were they holding out okay? Has her team had casualties too? Was Lord really this fucking incompetent to lose a whole damn island like this? Is L okay? Is she damaged? Oh God. What if she’s damaged? Lord would have a backup of her data right? Yes. Of course he would. But, that’d be the raw data, not the L she knows and has grown fond of. The one with shared interactions and memories. The one that took her breath away. The one that was joking with her just a few days ago. Dammit, please be okay. Lena checked the disruptor rounds in her pistol (again) and holstered it. She tightened the straps to her tactical bag.

The helio landed and Arias, Lockwood, Spheer, and Lena all hustled down the ramp and scanned their surroundings. So far no bot signatures were showing up on their radars on the screens on their wrists (another L Corp design). Lena made sure they all had the best. Their team may be small but they are prepared for a fight. A fight they plan on living through. Even if it means grab them and fly away as fast as possible.

They ran down the stairs of the 20 floor story hull of a building and immediately cut down the street that led towards the woods and the facility they expected to find the other team. Five large city blocks and they were skirting the tree line. They should be there in just over an hour.

Henshaw hands the binoculars to Lane, “I don’t like this.” He says about the foggy valley they’ve reached on their way to the facility. It’s densely wooded and there’s a dirt road at the bottom that will take them directly to the building. It should be very close now. But the fog is too thick to see it.

Lane curses under her breath and hands the binoculars back, “We don’t have a choice. Weapons hot. We go slow and we should be right at the entrance. What do you think sir?”

He was still apprehensive, but she was right, they don’t have a choice. Their backup flew in this direction on purpose and he's sure of it. They wanted them to know they’d meet at the facility. “Tell everyone to get ready.”

Alex gently touched Kara’s arm, “Kara?”

The alien shifted her attention from her scans of the area to the Sergeant, “Yes?”

Alex held up a wrist watch, “Here. I set the timer for two minutes...in case your implant shuts off...so you can keep up with the time. Just press this to start or stop and double press to clear and start over. I, uh, I really hope you don’t need to use it.” 

Kara took the watch and swallowed. “I see. Th-thank you.” She put it on her left wrist and tried the timer out and cleared it. “I hope...I don’t need it either.”

“Also, I want to tell you something. Uh, Maggie too. She sent me over here for a different reason, but I thought you might need the watch...so…”

“Why did Maggie send you to m-me?” She looked curious.

“She’s serious about adopting you. We know you’re not a kid, but we want you to know you have us as family not just friends...if you want us.” Alex ended with a smirk and playfully elbowed her.

Kara felt her coding kick up and the buzzing started to get a little louder as tears pricked in her eyes, “I’d like that. I-if I can get free I’ll need papers. I’d like to have a fam-family.”

Cat had dust in her eyes. That’s why she was rubbing at them. She guessed Winn was having the same problem except his symptoms included a runny nose too.

Maggie waked over and playfully nudged them on her way to Alex and Kara’s side. “I thought maybe if I sent Alex I wouldn’t cry. Again. Dumb. So, it’s not common knowledge, we haven’t told the unit that we’re engaged. We’ve been together two years now.”

“Oh!” Kara said with a grin.

“The point I’m trying to make is that I plan on becoming a Danvers soon and it’d be cool if you took that name too until you know you decide to take someones...or not. Whatever is cool. Just an idea.”

Kara smiled and ignored the buzzing. “Kara D-Danvers. I like the way it sounds.”

Lane marched over looking annoyed, she didn’t snap at anyone though, “This fog has settled in and visibility is low. Our only option to get to the facility in a timely manner is to take our chances and hit the road there. The Captain and I both think we may get ambushed along the way. It’s been too long since we’ve been attacked, that drone spotted us heading this way earlier, and now the bots know we have help on the way. Weapons hot, protect our civilians, and run like our lives literally depend on it if we get hit. Stay Frosty.”

Olsen stared hard and Lane and she returned the stare before returning to Henshaw’s side.

The team made their way down the hill, weapons ready. Vasquez had her pistol in her hand and stayed near her field buddy. Moores did too. Kara stayed between them, ready to assist however she could with the pistol Henshaw handed to her an hour ago along with a quick lesson on how to use it. She knew if she connected back to the private network and got close enough to them she could hack the bots and temporarily disable the Gunners and Artillery bots for sure (like she did with Lane’s rifle on the flight over here). She didn’t think she could disable a SAR unit with a hack. Any reconnect and hack attempt she does would likely damage her implant further and put her at risk from a direct attack from AE 3258 again. It could flood her with data and images and harm her again. She’d only turn it back on if she absolutely needed to.

When the valley got quiet and the animals all seemed to just disappear then they knew shit was about to go down.

As if on cue, a loud bang sounded and a half second later a large artillery round landed behind them and made a small crater in the road. They all started moving faster and suddenly through the fog they could hear clanging of robotic legs and the bullets started flying. 

Kara supported Moores and forced them into a run despite her hissing in pain. Danvers yelled at the civilians, “Keep going! Run! Get in the building and take cover. Lock us out if it comes to it! Go!” Kara felt a pain in her chest at the thought. She glanced back and the unit slid down into the ditch on the side of the road opposite the massive ambush and provided cover fire. They were taking her advice and shooting the weak spots so at least they were taking bots out. But, when Kara saw the outlines of several SAR units flanking the Gunners and Artillery bots she felt pure fear. “Miss Grant! Schott! Hurry!”

Vasquez stayed with them, running and shooting as they went.The gunshots got further away as they kept going through the thick fog. They could see an outline of a concrete and steel building entrance built into the valley with a few large satellites on top of the roof. They made it. Kara got to the door first and she leaned Moores against the wall. Cat, Vasquez, and Winn arrived as Kara was accessing the electronic keypad and gaining entry with Lord Tech credentials. The door clicked open and an artificial voice greeted them through the intercom. “Welcome to the Harbinger 1 Training Facility Server Facilities.” The lights inside the concrete hallway turned on. Vasquez grabbed Moores and shoved her inside and ushered in the reporter and her coworker.

“Kara! Let’s go!” She called to her as she stood there listening to the firefight in the distance down the road. She could see the flashes from the muzzles in the white fog and hear their screams.

“I can’t.” Kara looked heart-broken. “I can’t leave them. I-if I don’t make it back. M-my access code is to get through locked d-d-doors and security is L03583. L03583.”

“Kara! NO!” Cat yelled out. 

Kara glanced at her over her shoulder before she sprinted back to the fight. Sawyer is on the ground as Kara closes their distance, she looks shell shocked by okay. Kara pulled her to her feet and kept getting closer. Olsen and Lane were tossing grenades and destroying Gunners left and right but they were everywhere. Danvers was shooting at AE 3258. The bloody SAR that hacked Kara and that snatched up Maggie from the first ambush. It had a heavy clawed hand pressing down on Henshaw’s chest. He had him pinned to the road and was scanning him. 

/> PRIVATE NETWORK DETECTED

/> PRIVATE NETWORK: ONLINE

Kara switched to Private Network and worked to gain access to all of the Gunners and Artillery bots near them. 

/> DEACTIVATE 

/>IDENTIFY

/>AUTHORIZATION CODE />L03583

She managed to do a quick disable command and the bots just stopped attacking. The three SAR units turned their attention to Kara. The other bots started just like walking around slowly and in a confused way. Their guns lowered and their systems tried to reboot. The Marines were watching in shock.

“Hurry! I can’t h-hold them off for long!” Kara yelled.

AE3258 let go of Henshaw and he rolled away and started to run towards Kara and the unit. It watched Kara and she could see it hitting back with its conflicting code through her contacts. 

/> CONFLICTING ORDERS

/> ERROR

“RUN! It’s regaining access to them. Hurry!” 

AE3258 shot a round at Henshaw as he reached the unit and it hit him in his right leg and he fell forward with a yell.

Danvers cursed and she and Olsen ran to get him up and retreat to the facility. Sawyer and Lane kept an eye on Kara as she started walking backwards away from the SAR and back towards them and the facility.

/>SUSPEND ORDER

/>OVERRIDE BY SAR-003 SUCCESSFUL

/>REBOOTING

“They’re r-rebooting.” Kara said.

Sawyer grabbed Kara by her waist and pulled, “Let’s go Kara! We have to go now!” Lane started sprinting towards the others and Kara let Maggie pull her into a run.

As the three women sprinted through the fog towards their team the bots fully rebooted and started firing at them. They came into view of the facility doors and their friends encouraging them on. The second they crossed the threshold Olsen hit a button that slammed the reinforced doors shut and activated the large locking mechanism.

Kara was panting and bent over holding her knees. “It w-won’t keep them out forever we need to get further into this place.”

Lane nodded, “More doors between us sounds great.” She eyed Danvers as she finished a tourniquet on Henshaw’s leg and hugged him tight and then stuck him with the last of the fast-acting injections for pain and infection. Danvers and Olsen supported Henshaw through the hallway and Sawyer supported Moores.

Kara and Winn started going towards the server room immediately. Winn believed that it’ll be the main HUB of the building since it is it’s main purpose.

On the way there they locked several doors behind them and Kara noticed a medical sign on a door. “One second.” She tried the door but it was locked with a traditional key and not keypad. She looked in the Infirmary window and frowned.

Cat was closest to her as the others kept going to keep putting space, “It’s locked?”

“Yes.” Kara replied. 

“Don’t you have a gun? Shoot it.” The reporter suggested.

Cat watched Kara. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and more strands had become loose with her running. She had unzipped her gray suit jacket once they were in the building. Her light blue button-up shirt was stained with dirt, old blood, and grime and her suit was in much the same state. She had dried blood in her cheek and some dirt on her face too. The Lord Tech patch on her shoulder was stained with old blood and Cat could see the symbolism in it. Despite all of this...somehow Kara still managed to look amazing. Car doubted she herself looked any less disheveled and dirty. None of them did.

Kara looked around the corner near the room and there was a metal chair. She picked it up and asked Cat to move back. She swung the chair and broke the window. “To save bullets.” She said and climbed through and quickly rummaged. She unlocked the door and came out with a small black duffel bag with a red medical cross on it. “Th-there’s a surgical kit and supplies. I found water and some m-meal bars too.” Cat held out her hand and took the bag to carry.

“Thank y-you.” She was glad Cat wanted to hold the bag. Kara was getting so tired and her implant was hurting and buzzing from turning on the Private Network and disarming those bots. She was grateful that AE 3258 didn’t attempt to hack her back.

They quickly caught up with the group and they sealed another reinforced concrete door behind them. The team was happy to hear what Kara gathered.

They followed the signs and could hear voices somewhere ahead of them now. Still a bit of a ways away. But their help had arrived at the perfect time. They passed a lounge where there were decomposing bodies and as they got closer to the servers and the voices they were seeing old bullet holes in the walls and floors and old brown and black blood stains. They locked another door behind them and Lane called out. She yelled loudly as they closed the distance. She yelled her rank, unit, and training assignment number and the best part was, “-and for fucks sake don’t shoot we’re pretty fucking friendly!!!”

They entered the Server HUB and the entire floor dropped down two levels. The doors opened to a balcony overlooking the room and two flights of stairs led down to the floor. A sharp looking team of three were in all black tactical gear and a woman with them had on a tactical vest under a large black coat. She put away her pistol in the holster attached to her jeans and gestured for the team to lower their weapons and they complied immediately. 

Kara walked through the doors with Cat and peered down at the new arrivals. She froze when she saw Lena holster a gun and get her team to lower their rifles.

Kara walked towards the railing, “Miss Luthor.”

Lena’s facial features shifted from hard to pure relief instantly, “L!”

Kara forgot how tired she was for a moment and bound down the two flights of stairs, several steps at a time and ran to Lena, “Miss Luthor you’re h-here!” Kara didn’t stop, she slowed down a little, but she crashed right into the woman and wrapped her in a forceful hug. “You’re really h-here.” Kara said into the CEO’s hair.

Lena was relieved to find L in one piece, but shocked at her physical appearance and at her very _emotional_ reaction to seeing her. She couldn’t deny her this hug though. There was no telling what she and these soldiers had been through and they heard a firefight outside on the opposite end of the building when they arrived. She had thought about hugging the A.I. when they were reunited but didn’t think it’d be well received or maybe a little awkward. She’s happy to be wrong. She took a deep breath and kept hugging L back. “I’m so relieved that you are okay, L. It took days to find out where Lord sent you off too.”

Kara finally loosened her hold and took a half of a step back to just look at her favorite human for a moment. Her code was starting to set a fire to her, starting behind her eyes, through her head, and down her neck. It hurt like hell and his code was telling her she couldn’t feel the way she does about this human but she didn’t care and was going to push through until it killed her. “We n-n-need to go. Three SAR u-units are pursuing us. They h-h-have equip-m-m-ment that can cut through the security d-doors.”

The Marines had been watching the reunion and had started descending the stairs as soon as Kara pulled away to talk. 

Maggie was grinning and slapping at poor Moores since that who she had her hands on. She signed over to Alex quickly. -I approve!-

Alex nodded, but didn’t let go of Henshaw. Lena Luthor. Kara’s favorite human is Lena Luthor. She must be the good one from the family for Kara to like her and for her to come here to help. Definitely approve.

Lena took in Kara’s appearance again and replayed what she just said to her in her head. Stutter and all. She furrowed her eyebrows and frowned at L.

She opened her mouth to reply but, Spheer beat her to it, “Have a bit of a stutter darling? Are you concussed? I have adrenaline to keep you awake.” He offered.

Kara shook her head, “Thank you, but I’m not c-concussed. My implant is d-damaged.”

Lena furrowed her eyebrows even more and frowned, “Implant? L, you don’t have implants. You are damaged. I brought a repair kit. I can fix you up.” Lena and her team all looked down at their wrists and some kind of screen that must vibrate to alert as no one heard beeping to get their attention. “But not now, those SAR units you mentioned are close enough to be picked up on radar.” 

“Not y-yet.” Kara replied. Vasquez was over by a larger server with Winn and she was setting up explosives where Winn gestured to.

Lena looked back at L. What the hell is going on? “L?”

“We have to blow the s-servers. The island cannot re-re-re-reconnect to the Glo-global network. SAR U-u-unit-003 AE3258 is A.I. and has infectious code. Some kind of K-kill Co-co-command. If the code leaves the i-i-island-”

“Then it spreads globally and uncontrollably to all A.I. and robots.” Lena finished with a worried look.

Kara nodded. “We h-have to destroy every infected bot and the servers.”

Winn and Vasques walked up to them and smiled. “Hey, it is ready to blow and it is gonna be biiiiiig,” Vasquez said and pointed at a nearby wall and piping, “Gas lines. We don’t want to be anywhere inside when this goes off.” 

Henshaw was at the door to leave the room. “Start that bomb timer and let’s move before those things catch up with us.”

Vasquez agreed and started the timer with a remote and set in on one of the desks. It was literally just enough time to get out the door.

Kara grabbed Lena’s hand and started walking after everyone else.

“L, you’re A.I. you...you can’t leave this island. You could have the code. Oh God.”

The others could hear them talk as they progressed through the building and sealed doors. Arias did a double take. THIS WOMAN IS AN A.I.?! What the actual fuck? Lockwood and Spheer had similar thoughts and reactions.

Kara felt like she was going to get another nose bleed soon or get sick again, maybe both at the same time. “N-no,” replied to Lena’s worried reasoning.

Lena was fighting back tears at the realization that L might not be able to leave with them. That she was too late to save her. “L, I’m so sorry I found that information about this place. I’m sorry that Lord sent YOU, and that I didn’t get here sooner. This is all my-”

“No!” Kara spoke over her but kept walking. Kara isn’t going to let Lena blame herself for someone else's actions. 

Lena was stunned by her shutting her down like that. This is a lot. This is more than learning to be social and slowly developing a sense of humor. The code! It is already affecting her. Kara felt like she could read Lena’s mind by watching her. “L-Lena the code is in my implant. I grabbed a s-s-sur-surgical kit from the other side of this facility. If we can get it out then I can leave. If not...well I will help you all f-f-for however long I can.”

“L! You’re damaged and the bad code is confusing you. You don’t have implants. You’re an A.I. An unbelievably advanced android. Lord created you. Don’t you remember?” She pleaded with her to be reasonable and recall what she is.

Kara shook her head and walked even faster as the SAR units were moving faster now according to the woman that came with Lena. “Lena. I-I-I n-need you to hear me. My name is Kara Zor-El. I’m an a-alien. My pl-planet was called K-Krypton and M-Maxwell fucking Lord has me on a ti-tight l-l-leash with this im-implant he put in my h-head.”

Lena tried to stop walking. To stop and attempt to process what she just heard come out of L’s gorgeous mouth.

Kara didn’t let her, she pulled her along with all the force she could muster, “We ca-can’t stop here.”

Lena kept moving, she could see the exit they had used to come into the building now, but all she could do was look at L. At Kara. This made more sense than Maxwell Fucking Lord being able to create L, the Android Goddess. No, it made more sense for that fucker to kidnap and enslave an alien and pretend he was better than everyone. Dammit she knew he was bad, but she needed his resources for her own project. She thought he was just an insufferable narcissistic asshole, not...this…not THIS.

Kara looked over at her and just smiled. Lena felt a familiar ache in her chest. Behind them she heard what sounded like a torch and when she peaked behind them she could see an orange angry line forming around the security door. “Shit, they’re already cutting through the door behind us.” 

Everyone heard and hustled as much as they could. Kara gripped Lena’s hand and they got closer to the exit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drop a comment and or a KUDOS please.  
> I like knowing what you think about the chapter!!!  
> Take care!


	11. Asset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is quite the asset.

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens

AN: You guys are awesome! Thank you all so much for the comments! 😍 I always LOL when you drop the ones cus I done cliffhanger(ed) you again. That is a word now. BUT! I already finished a new chapter. I think two days in a row makes this a historical moment or something. Also, side-note. I imagine AU Kara to have just a little bit more muscle and definition than Canon Kara. You know cus she’s pretty much been human for years with her implant and actually works out often to appear as a capable A.I……….. ANYWAY ENJOY!

  
  


Kara looked over at her and just smiled. Lena felt a familiar ache in her chest. Behind them she heard what sounded like a torch and when she peaked behind them she could see an orange angry line forming around the security door. “Shit, they’re already cutting through the door behind us.” 

Everyone heard and hustled as much as they could. Kara gripped Lena’s hand and they got closer to the exit.

  
  


Kara felt like her body was about to give out on her. She told Lena the truth. Some of it anyway and now the human was trying to process this new information. Kara could, as Maggie had said, ‘see the gears turning.’ She held onto her hand tightly and kept running even when Lena had tried to stop and think. Lena knows there’s an imminent explosion from a literal bomb, but apparently the truth _bomb_ made it hard for her to think _and_ run. Kara told her not here, just smiled at her, and kept her moving. Lena let herself be pulled along without an ounce of resistance. 

The pain was gradually becoming so much worse for Kara again and she could feel that familiar pressure forming at her nose and the white hot heat had spread more than had in the woods with the Marines and at the Outpost with them. Kara pushed herself to just go further anyway. Just get out of the building and go from there. Just run. Get Lena away from the bomb and the SAR units. She can stop moving for a while once this entire crisis is over.

It was like the units responded to her thinking about them as they promptly knocked through the freshly precision torched door behind them with a loud bang. They climbed through the opening and pursued them with unrelenting vigor. They start firing rounds at the retreating humans and alien and then immediately after that the bomb in the server room went off and hit the gas line with a massive explosion that rocked the entire building. A wave of explosions as the fire surged along the pipes. Kara could feel the blood running down her face now, her nose dripping. Everyone else had just made it outside. She looked over at Lena as the ceiling started to try and cave in. She looked terrified and even more so when she saw the blood pouring from Kara’s nose. 

A half-second later Kara could feel that her implant was starting to shut-off and she saw the ceiling start to fully cave above them near the exit. She wrapped her arms around Lena and shouted Olsen’s name. She immediately threw Lena the second her glowing blue contacts and implant turned off. Olsen caught her and stumbled back into the dirt with a, “Oof!” The building completely collapsed as more explosions rocked it and Kara was somewhere underneath all of the rubble.

“KARA!!!” The marine’s and civilian’s screamed. 

Cat and Winn were standing there, both wide-eyed and in total shock from seeing Kara throw Lena out of the building at the last moment and see it collapse over and around her. 

Lena scrambled to get up and off of the marine that caught her as Kara tossed her through the exit doors. Spheer helped her up and held her from running towards the still settling building. The dust clouds settled just short of covering them all. Flames were spreading across further away portions of the debris.

Arias cringed at the sight of her devastated boss, “Oh God, I’m...I’m so sorry, Miss Luthor, but we can’t linger here. We need to get back to our transport right now.”

Lena refused to move away even when Spheer tried to carefully tug and redirect her, “No, she’s not...she can’t be...she can’t be gone! Kara! KARA!!!” She screamed.

Alex stepped forward and tried to calm Lena down, “I was watching her! I swear to God her eyes stopped glowing right before she threw you. If her contacts turned off then her implant did too, so her powers should be active now...so maybe she’s- maybe she’s okay.” God, please let her be okay.

The CEO looked wildly at Alex, “What? Powers? She has powers? What powers?”

Winn spoke up, “We know that she's very strong, can fly, and can shoot lasers out of her eyes.” Lena and her team all look bewildered at his description and then he continued to talk. “Kara said that Lord...had a way to suppress her abilities with that implant. She’s too strong for him to be able to control with them and so he installed a fail-safe so that if the implant failed or if he couldn’t control her anymore...then...her implant would explode.”

Lena visibly paled even more, which is quite a feat considering she’s so pale normally, “He put a bomb in her head...if her implant just failed then. Oh my God.” She hoarsely whispered the last three words.

Alex grabbed Lena’s arm in another attempt to reassure her, and herself that Kara was NOT gone, “She said she has a two minute window for it to turn back on before it detonates and we’ve seen it turn itself back on a couple of times now.”

Everyone stared hard at the collapsed building.

The rubble began to shift. Chunks of materials moved around and a SAR unit, a badly damaged one, started to emerge.

“Shit.” Mumbled Henshaw.

The SAR unit was acting erratic. They couldn’t tell if it was AE 3258 or not. It was clanking around and twitchy and they all just watched it, since it did not seem to be aware of any of them at the moment.

More rubble closer to them started shifting and they watched as a huge slab of concrete began to lift up and Kara stood beneath it gripping it tightly. Her hair tie had been lost to the wreckage as her hair was fully down and she was covered in the white and gray powdery dust from the building. She turned to face away from the humans as she held the slab and she chunked it at the damaged SAR unit. It flattened under the slab and a blueish electrical pulse exploded from it. Spheer made a mental note of the little explosion and knew he was probably about to be using all of his special bombs after all.

Kara turned back towards the humans and slowly walked out of the rubble. She peered down at the timer she had barely managed to activate as she tossed Lena. She had another minute before she needed to worry too much about the implant. Ha.

She smiled tiredly, “I hear two more in there. Probably rebooting and looking for a way out of the rubble. We should get moving now though. I’m either going to have my powers for a few more seconds or I’m about to...well...I’m pretty sure I’m going to faint once this damn implant turns itself back on. I could barely function at all in there before it turned off. I think my legs were trying to give out.” She looked at Lena and looked a little apologetic, “I didn’t think I could run us out fast enough. Sorry that I threw you. But, I’m not sorry that you’re not a pancake right now. That is the _flat_ human food right?”

Moores snorted, “That SAR unit is the pancake.”

Lena was watching her, still gaping from the display of power and everything. She forced herself to close her mouth and blink. She chose to ignore the pancake bits of the conversation, “I...I brought equipment to repair you if needed. Let’s get moving. I can try to connect to your implant for you while we are on the move.” As she spoke she dug into her tactical bag and pulled out a slim tablet that was only about 4 inches by 8 inches and she unfolded the tech and grabbed a cord that would go into Kara’s port on her neck. She plugged it in as they all started their trek towards the city together. “How much time left Kara?” Alex asked her.

Kara looked at her watch, “30 seconds. It usually turns itself back on before now.” Do not panic. Either it will turn back on automatically or Lena will do it. 

Lena huffed and was tapping away on the tablet and they all hustled. Everyone was feeling a sense of dread as the second ticked by.

Kara kept moving and trying to think positive thoughts as Lena worked beside her.

“10 seconds.”

“Fuck.” Lena cursed.

“You have to be at least 8 ft away Lena. Please, I don’t want you to get hurt.” Kara went to move away and Lena followed her.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Kara Zor-El.” With 3 seconds left Lena manually got Kara’s implant to turn back on. Everyone had stopped to watch them. They all were experiencing some form of panic. Alex was sure she was going to have gray hair from all of this. 

Kara’s eyes were glowing blue again and Lena gently pulled the cord from the back of her neck. She put both items back in her bag and looked at Kara. She is a mess. She is entirely covered in dust, her new layer atop old blood and dirt, and her hair is down and unkempt. She has some torn spots in her field suit pants legs and her jacket is ripped up in most places. Blood is dripping out of her nose and down her chin. Kara suddenly takes notice of this and she pulls a bandana from her pocket and wipes her nose. She puts it back in her pocket and looks back at Lena. “Thank you.”

Lena cries some, or maybe she already was crying and hadn’t realized it until just now. She grabbed Kara in a tight hug like they had shared inside the demolished building. Except this time Lena knows _Kara isn’t an A.I._ As she grabbed her in for the hug a plume of dust rose from the alien. Lena doesn’t care. She doesn’t care one bit that dust is on her now too. Especially when Kara hugs her back immediately and Lena feels like she can breathe a little again. Then it kind of hit her like a slab of concrete. She knows this thing, but now it _really_ hit her as she held Kara again. _Kara is not an A.I. Kara isn’t tech._ Kara is a biological being that Lena can stop feeling guilty and weird for having a crush on and borderline obsession over. She felt a wave of relief just rush over her and she hugged the woman even tighter.

“Kara, I will get this implant out of you and get you off of this island. I promise.” She trailed one hand up to the back of her neck to touch the port beneath her hair as she made her oath.

Kara just nodded and proceeded to melt into the tight embrace. She’s really been missing out on these great Lena hugs. She’d like to play catch up if she lets her. She would have stayed there in Lena’s arms for much, much, much longer, but Lockwood interrupted them. “I apologize Ma’ams. I don’t want to dissolve this tender moment but we do need to get a move on. Those other two units must have just rebooted, they’re back on the radar now.” Lena was too busy hugging Kara to notice her own radar on her wrist even alert her.

Kara and Lena pulled away from the embrace, reluctantly, and continued with the group towards the city. Back towards Black, Fife, and their way off this island.

As they traveled, quickly, Kara ditched her shredded jacket, and did her best to shake the dust out of her hair and off of her pants. Lena watched her. She had managed to get the dust off of herself (mostly) from the fantastic hug. She glanced at Kara's uncovered arms and recalled a day in the storage area in one of the sub-levels of Lord Tech with Kara and Dr. Mackie. She thought back to one of the days Lena had been painfully aware of how attractive Kara was...is. God, those delicious arms are flesh and blood. Oh no. She quietly groaned and started mentally counting in different languages to try and reel in that thought train for now. Now was NOT the right time to daydream about fucking a very real, very kind, very pretty, and very fit alien. Kara Zor-El from Krypton. Dear God.

Cat pulled the patch off of Kara’s jacket when she saw her toss it. She tucked it into her pocket and she gripped the strap to the duffel bag. Winn noticed and smiled. He had a feeling Cat wanted it for her article on this place. It’d make a hell of a story cover photo. A bloody Lord Tech Incorporated patch. It certainly seems appropriate to him.

Arias walked over to Kara and patted her on the back, “Are you hanging in there Kara?”

Kara smiled, happy that she wasn’t passing out yet and had found another surge of energy to push on. She was also happy to meet Lena’s impressive looking team. “Y-yes, thank you. What’s your name?”

She smiled back, “I’m Sam Arias, head of Miss Luthor’s personal security.”

“It’s nice to meet y-you. Thank you for keeping Lena safe.”

Sam laughed, “Huh, says the woman who just saved Le-Miss Luthor’s ass for me. So, thanks for doing my job today and it’s nice meeting you too.”

Lena shook her head and joked, “Keep my ass out of this please.”

Kara briefly glanced at that particular asset at the mention of it. Half of the group noticed her do it, including Lena. Kara then transitioned away her thoughts with what appeared to be a small mental struggle and after that she asked the men on the team their names too. Everyone listened as they continued to move to the city section of the island.

Spheer smirked and flirted, “Darling, I am Jack Spheer. I specialize in demolitions. I destroy buildings and women’s hearts.”

Kara laughed at him.

Lockwood smiled politely, “Ma’am, I’m Ben Lockwood. Served two tours with the Army. Glad to meet you.”

Everyone did quick introductions and Lane grabbed the sketches Kara did of the Gunner and SAR unit weak spots from Henshaw’s tactical vest. She handed them to Arais and she memorized them and made sure Spheer and Lockwood did too. When Lena got a hold of them she looked them over and looked back to Kara. “You drew these?” Lena was impressed with the incredibly detailed and expertly drawn depictions of their current enemies.

Kara nodded and smiled.

Vasquez got beside them. “Hell yeah she did.” She laughed a little recalling the wild look Kara gave after being shocked over the intel, “When she went to tell us about the weak spots her implant coding registered it as her giving away company secrets and the damn thing literally shocked her. Like an arc of electricity came out of that port and everything. She stiffened out and looked totally wild. Then she tried again and the same thing happened. She said it actually helped her concentrate and helped with a buzzing noise from her damaged implant. But, instead of trying a third time, thankfully; she dropped to the floor and sketched those beauties for us. Lord’s code didn’t register the drawing as a betrayal.”

While it could have been funny Lena was more than done with Lord after this horrible ordeal. “He rigged it to fucking SHOCK you too?!” Lena huffed and looked at Kara. “I am going to kill Maxwell Lord, that piece of shit! I swear I don’t even care that I might end up in the same cell block as my heart-less mother one day because we all know it's a matter of time before she's put away! Then the whole Luthor family will reside within the prison system!”

Kara went wide-eyed beside the fuming woman. She is pretty sure that she just picked up on an accent during that little outburst. Cute. And. Hot.

Maggie and Alex walked closer to them.

Kara laughed, “Lord had t-told me that I would be in f-for a _shock_ if I ever tried to b-betray him. I kind of thought getting shocked was a little bit funny in a weird way. I didn’t kn-know he did th-that until that h-happened. But, we’ll find a way to make him pay without having y-you ending up in prison.”

Maggie smiled, “We’ll visit you in prison though if it does go down like that.”

Lena rolled her eyes at the marine, but smiled anyway and laughed a little. “Kara, you tried it again and got shocked a second time. Why? Did you really think it wouldn’t do it again?”

Kara shrugged, “Maybe I just missed my shock therapy? Hadn’t had that in a w-while.” She laughed at her own joke. She wouldn’t mind laughing at some of the bad things that have happened to her over the years. “I-it helped wi-with the buzzing I heard from my damaged implant and pain for a little while and I guess I was kind of in denial th-that he had programmed that in my implant too along with everything else.”

They all picked up on the joke about past torture.

“He couldn’t be ha-happy with taking my abilities away, censoring most things, messing with m-m-my memories, and regulating my emotions. No let’s throw in a b-bomb aaaaand some shock therapy.” Kara grumbled to herself and then when she looked over at Cat she remembered something. “Oh, Cat?” She called to her.

Cat was thinking about all the horrible things Kara had probably experienced and felt guilty for not trying harder to locate her after that trail had gone cold with her source. She should have been more aggressive. She shouldn’t have shelved it. Surely someone would have eventually let it slip that Kara existed and she could have been freed from that lunatic years ago. “Yes?”

Kara gestured to the bag, “I found some food and water when I found that s-surgical kit.”

Cat smiled as Kara walked beside her and dug into the bag and passed out the provisions to whoever asked. Lena and her team passed on the offer. The CEO wondered what all this group had dealt with already. She looked at Moores who was clearly in pain but pushing on, Sawyer with her dark bruising around her neck, Vasquez who lost most of her right arm, and Henshaw. He was probably going to lose his leg. She vowed to make sure every person here got the medical treatment they needed and to offer them products from the cybernetic prosthetics she’s been developing.All for free of course.

As they ate and walked. Winn explained to Lena how the SAR unit with some damage and dried blood, AE 3258, was the one with the source code and was using Quantum Entanglement to communicate and control all of the bots on the island. That it has to come into physical contact to spread the kill code, like it did with Kara. That there’s no way to know for sure which of the bots are even infected without running diagnostics of all of them individually. That the plan is to destroy everything on the island. The server, which they definitely did, and everything else including all of the bots and Kara’s implant so she can safely leave the island. 

He explained how Kara needed the implant to be cut out while it was active that if her abilities were back then they wouldn’t be able to get it out and then they have the 2 minutes to get it turned back on again before risking the fail-safe detonating inside her head. 

“How did Lord cut into you while you had your powers? Why can’t we do the same?”

Kara frowned, “He has some alien rock that c-can take away my abilities. He uses it to keep me powerless and has tools and scalpels made out of it to be able to do his experiments. It’s the only thing that I know that can pierce my skin when I have my powers. ”

Alex cringed. Many of the others did too.

“Do you know what this rock is called? Did he find it? Make it? Can you describe it to me? And how do you physically react to it?” She asked.

Kara clenched her jaw and sighed, “I don’t know what it’s c-called. A military doctor found out that it worked on me shortly after I landed here as a kid. Lord did figure out a way to make a syn-synthetic form. He can control how much exposure I experience with his synthetic emitters like in my implant. Unlike t-the actual rock. With i-i-t I am too weak to even f-f-function.” 

The alien puffed some air from her lungs and continued her explanation. “Uh, it’s like a gr-green crystal. It looks dark green and n-not very light refractive. When it’s close to me it glows and reacts w-with my blood.” Kara clenched her jaw, “It makes me weak, sick, it makes my blood boil, and my v-veins turn light green too. It’s truly a-awful to experience.”

Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and didn’t let go, “I’m sorry. Thank you for answering. I’m just trying to figure out how to help you.”

“I understand.” Kara squeezed Lena’s hand and smiled at her.

Henshaw was in the middle of the group as they went. Olsen was still helping him walk and he spoke up. “I’m so sorry, Kara. You’ve been treated so poorly by us humans. You said it was a military doctor that used that on you when you were just a kid? I...I was an ass to you when you joined our team. I’m surprised you’re so open with any of us. Especially us military types.”

Kara intertwined her fingers with Lena and could feel the pain starting to ache in her head again, whatever Lena did with the reboot of her implant gave her a little bit of time without discomfort. All of these feelings though were making her coding kick back in. “You h-have nothing to be sorry for, Captain. I know not to judge in-individuals for the ac-actions of others. Human or not.” She pulled Lena’s hand up to her lips and gently kissed her knuckles and winked at Lena as she did it. 

Lena wasn’t expecting the light kiss to her hand she felt her heart rate pick up for a different reason than the excellent run earlier and their present hike. She blushed despite herself. Kara’s lips were so soft and she managed a playful and flirty wink like this was something they did all of the time. _God, Kara is not an A.I._

Maggie and Alex giggled from behind them. Maggie signed to Alex. -God, I ship them so hard.-

Alex laughed and signed back to her fiance. -Me too. Think Kara is still interested in being a Danvers at all now?-

Maggie practically cackled and replied. -Shit! I don’t know! Kara Luthor does sound pretty badass too.-

Sam turned and walked backwards for a bit so she could join in with a smirk on her lips and she signed to Alex and Maggie. -I bet $50 she’ll hyphenate.-

Alex laughed. -I take that bet. My money is on Danvers.-

Maggie shook her head. -Mines on Luthor.-

Cat rolled her eyes. She was bad at signing out conversations, mostly because she didn’t take the time to ever practice it, but she could read sign language just fine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT DO YOU THINK?!?!  
> Leave me a comment of a KUDOS if you will please. They're so motivating!  
> Thanks so much.


	12. IDENTIFY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fight or flight?  
> This was kinda intense to write. Not gonna lie. Lot's of fighting, blood, and injuries.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

They were getting close to the city. The buildings were massive, tall, bland, gray concrete masses. They didn’t even have windows, just the openings where the glass would have been. The large group could see the black hammerhead helio sitting on top of the tallest one, even from afar in the woods. 

Lena and her team all looked at their radars at the same time and told the group they were being surrounded from behind and their left and right flanks. Winn asked about the radar alert and Lena confirmed his suspicion that it vibrates to alert the user of new readings. Lena realizes all of a sudden that the radars do not pick-up Kara and her damaged tech. How had she missed that? Ha. Too distracted by her presence to even think properly.

They broke through the treeline as the shots began to fly over and around them. Lane activated her aim-assist contact lenses. The red bullseyes lit up her green eyes. She and Lockwood took cover behind separate trees and used the knowledge from Kara about the weak spots to their advantage as their teams ran into the nearest building for better cover.

Lane locks on a Gunner unit, “I see you.” She blows out the connecting joint between the gun and the base of its body and it shuts down.

When they ran into the building Olsen, Spheer, and Sawyer provided cover fire for Lane and Lockwood to join them. They ran through the first floor of the building to get to the adjacent street. Rotting corpses and destroyed training dummies littered the streets. Old burned out cars were staggered along their route and as they went Spheer placed trigger ElectroMagnetic Pulse bombs under corpses and in the cars to that when enemy bots got close their electronic components would fry. He warned Kara not to get close to them as it’d fry her implant and anything electronic within 10 ft of the blast. She made a mental note of where he was setting the traps just in case. He explained that the SAR Kara crushed blew up with a small EMP when it was destroyed. It was a dirty way to keep data out of the hands of enemies. The bots can’t be salvaged for any form of data. No bad code left behind either.

Arias radioed Black and Fife. “We are four blocks away. You see us?”

Black responded, “I see ya, mate. You brought a bloody army of bots with ya. Thanks, but ya shouldn’t have.”

“How many!?” Arias asked as they ran.

“More than I can count. It looks like a sea of ‘em coming from all directions. Fife is using the helio to scan and get a approximate number-fucking hell it’s almost a half a million. Drones, artillery, gunners, and the fucking SAR units you talked about.”

Lena felt a shiver of dread wash through her when he said it. “S.A.R. Multi-Arm Reprogram Events Multiple. Fuck. Kara I had no idea THIS is what that feed I sent you meant.”

Kara felt sick. The buzzing was so loud, but even she heard his response. Those sheer numbers. Fuck they all need to leave her there and bomb the island. She grabbed Lena’s hand again and squeezed it in hers, “I’m so sorry Lena. I-I-I read the reprogram event of half-a-million p-part but neither Lord or myself understood that it meant that many enemy bots on the island.” Kara drops Lena’s hand. “We thought upgrades, massive multiple upgrades, on a few thousand existing bots maybe, n-not this, n-n-n-nothing like this. That’s what S.A.R. does. Study. A-a-analyze. Reprogram.” She screamed and held her neck as she received a shock, but kept running. “One S.A.R. unit can reprogram itself hundreds of times a day. We thought it counted individual reprogram e-events! Not individual bots!” She received another shock and growled. “L-L-Lord would never have this many on one training island! This doesn’t m-m-make sense.” As Kara spoke all of that she had let go of Lena’s hand because she knew she was spilling company info that she wasn’t cleared to discuss and as she did her implant shocked the hell out of her the two different times. She ran through it though and it helped stamp out some of the pain and the buzzing of her implant for a moment.

Lena looked at her wide-eyed when she heard what she said and watched her keep running through her visible shocks complete with the electrical arcs coming out of her port just like Vasquez described. The others were shooting at any visible drones and bots as they listened to Kara and watched her push through pain again and again.

“We have to g-get this implant out now. Maybe I can d-destroy them. If we can’t get it out you have to leave me here a-and bomb this place.”

Lena shook her head and grabbed Kara’s hand again, “I am NOT leaving you here.”

Kara stared her down, “Well, I’m NOT letting you DIE here b-because of me!” She yelled at Lena as they entered into a building a block away from the one with the helio on top. Lena glared at Kara and ground her teeth. They could hear Spheer’s EMP bombs detonating behind them as the swarm got closer. Then next door the helio fired up and was using the mounted guns to shoot at the swarm coming from the other direction. Fife aimed the guns and S.A.R. and Gunners. Black shot at everything around their building.

The group managed to cross the last street when Lockwood got shot in his side. He crumpled to the ground immediately and as the others took cover. Kara and Lane drug him into the building.

“SHIT! SHIT!” Lockwood screamed and held his side. The round was large and it nicked him pretty good. He was bleeding out quickly and they could see right down to the muscle tissue and bone. Danvers ran to him after getting the duffel from Cat. She dug through it and found a chemical seal to emergency close wounds since Kara’s laser vision wasn’t an option right now. She poured the compound all over his gaping wound and the chemical burn smell was pungent. He lost consciousness instantly. 

Olsen stooped down and shouldered the full weight of the man, “How many stories in this place?” Lockwood’s blood coated Olsen’s tactical vest. 

Lena answered with, “Twenty.”

Olsen groaned, “I’m going to get a head start. I don’t think I can make it the whole way but I’ll hold out for as long as possible and wait in the stairwell if I have to stop. He took off towards the stairs. Spheer thanked him and tossed out more EMP bombs and started to set up claymores facing out away from the entry points all around the ground floor. “You should all start heading up too. I’ll slow them down for you.”

Kara grabbed the duffel bag and handed it to Lena, “We ha-have to get this implant out. If not you all n-n-n-need to flee while you still can.” Lena pursed her lips and shouldered the bag. She is not leaving Kara. She’ll die fighting by her side before letting that happen. Someone would have to literally drag her away and oh, help the soul that tries to accomplish doing _that_.

Lane ordered Sawyer and Danvers to come with her to the tenth floor to start defending the building to give everyone time to evacuate the building. Arias helped Spheer lay down more traps along the immediate street and with his claymores and then ordered him to head up to help Olsen with Lockwood to the helio while she assisted the marines on the tenth floor. He agreed but said he’ll take the first five floors at the wounded marine’s pace so he can set up the last of his EMPs as traps as they ascend and then at the sixth floor he’d catch up and assist Olsen wherever he found him.

Henshaw grunted as he and Moores looked at the stairwell that will probably finish them off.

“Let’s get to it then.” Vasquez helped Moores. Winn and Cat helped Henshaw with his wounded leg.

Lena grabbed Kara’s hand. “We’ll go to the tenth floor with your three marines and Sam. So we’ll already be halfway there if we have to relocate. They can tell us if we need to move. The surgery will have to be quick anyway.” Lena pulled her up the stairs in another run, they passed the others swiftly and as soon as they reached the tenth floor Lena made Kara lay down next to the stairwell.

Lane was cursing as she wrecked bot after bot with her rifle. All three Marines were firing out of openings where windows would have been; on the different sides of the building trying to slow down the tsunami of enemies. Arias had her own side to defend too.

Danvers and Sawyer could see the stairwell clearly as the floors are open concept (since it’s literally just props for training exercises) and bare except for crucial load bearing walls and a few for cover. They glanced worriedly when they realized Lena was setting up for an improvisational surgery behind them. Lena looked down at Kara. Kara looked rather calm considering everything. Lena was all frowns and concerned looks. Kara grasped Lena’s forearm as they tried to catch their breath, “I wondered what you’d look like _really_ winded. I...like it.” Kara smirked, a tad smug she had said it without a stutter and when Lena laughed it was more than worth it. 

“You are full of surprises, Kara Zor-El.”

“You j-just wait.” She stared up at her.

Lena took another deep breath and started pulling out what she thought she’d need. She pulled her tablet free and plugged it into Kara’s implant once Kara granted her permission. She hacked into her subroutines to start the disconnect it some that way so it’d be a little less mentally jarring and then she placed the tablet on the duffel and opened the medical kit. She had her go prone and sanitized Kara’s neck around her port, her own hands, and the scalpel and everything in the small surgical kit before gloving up and doing it again (quickly). “Kara, I don’t see anything in here to numb the pain.”

Kara squeezed her eyes shut and tried to not have flashbacks of doctors and Lord doing this to her. She just nodded instead, “Not my first time having s-something done that way. J-just be quick.”

Sawyer was close enough to hear their conversation and it just broke her heart. She tried to remain focused and make every bullet count. She didn't like their odds. Had they been selfish... the physically able of them could get on the helio and leave behind the wounded and Kara with her compromised tech. Thankfully it seems that every person here is on the same page. They are not selfish. Every life matters. They will not leave behind the fallen. She glanced at Alex, the love of her life, and then promptly destroyed two Gunners in the street below with well placed shots.

Lena got Kara situated and prone on her stomach. The alien pulled the duffel bag closer to her so she could bite down on the strap. Lena reassured her (or tried to) and herself before she made the incisions above and below her glowing port. Making it look like a bloodied vertical line running up her neck with a glowing circle in the middle. Lena was going in blind and it scared her more than anything.

She carefully worked to peel back Kara’s skin and she inspected the implant. It runs up her cervical vertebra along both sides of her spinous processes. The hardware seemed to be screwed in all the way up and the base of her skull. Lena had to cut further up and into her scalp. She disposed of her gloves (by tossing them) and quickly pulled her own hair tie free from her wild curls and used it to carefully tie Kara’s hair up in a high ponytail to get it out of the way. Cleaned her hands quickly, put on a new pair of surgical gloves and continued her work. 

Kara bit into the duffel strap and Lena tried to make calming little shushing noises for Kara and spoke calmly to reassure her as she worked. She had to cut all the way to the middle of the back of her skull, to her, external occipital crest. The external portion of the implant was screwed in that far up and the rest were these wires with emitters and censors that looked like green and blue glowing 10 millimetre in diameter LED rope lights that are inside her brain interacted with the regions Lord wanted access too. The little rope light sensors were running up the base of her skull in a man made hole in her skull, located a little away from her foramen magnum. Among it was a micro bomb. Lena wanted to know how Lord managed to shock Kara with the implant and not set off the bomb. She tried to stay focused though. If the implant was jarred too quickly it would likely explode from her tampering.

She tried to dab at the blood with gauze and she grabbed the technical screwdriver she’s glad she thought to sanitize and she set about unscrewing the implant from her skeleton.

Kara could feel herself trying to lose consciousness. She screwed her eyes shut and listened to Lena. The pain shooting up and down her spine from her scalp down was excruciating. Her code was kicking her ass she tried to think of anything what was happening. She was afraid of it exploding with Lena so close. The buzzing was getting louder, so much louder, and she could feel a nose bleed threatening. “Hurry, L-L-Lena. I think the implant might be trying to sh-sh-sh-shut off.” It can’t shut off while now, not while Lena is making progress. “ _Rao, here my prayers. By your w-warm light, guide us, protect us, and h-help us in our endeavor.”_ Speaking in her native tongue didn’t help with the pain from the code or the surgery, but it helped Kara’s soul. It had been so long.

Lena didn’t stop when she heard Kara speak quietly in a language definitely not of this planet. She had already removed six of the screws, but counted at least ten more. “I’m almost there.” She told when she was half way and when she only had two more. Kara gripped the duffel, knuckles were white and she bit down so hard on the strap that she wondered if she’d crack a tooth.

Arias was so focused on the ground that she didn’t see the SAR across from her inside the other building until it was launching itself from the twelfth floor and landing on theirs. “SHIT!” AE 3258 landed about 10 ft away from her and was going straight for Kara. It had her locked in its sights. “RUN!” Sam screamed as she fired at it.

As it happened Lena had removed the last two screws holding the implant to Kara’s skeleton and the bulk of their group had made it to the ninth floor and stopped and looked up the stairwell in horror as they heard the commotion on the floor above them. Olsen and Spheer heard the sounds of yelling and fighting a few floors below as they cleared the sixteenth floor. Olsen waved Spheer to keep going on up and headed back down to assist. 

The AE 3258 launched itself right at Kara and she had heard Arias warn them. She shoved the duffel in Lena’s arms, her tablet fell to the floor, and pushed her towards the stairs as she ran the opposite direction towards the center of the floor. 

Lena scurried to the stairwell doorway. AE landed where they had been working, smashed the tablet to bits, and slid a little in the small puddle of Kara’s blood.

Henshaw was leaning against the wall watching and they were all disturbed to see Lena appear through the doorway. She looked terrified and was gripping the duffel bag with bloody medical gloves.

As Kara ran and dodged the lunges Arias, Danvers, Lane and Sawyer were shooting at it. The disruptor rounds weren’t doing anything to it. The SAR units had better armor than the other bots. Kara held her hand to the back of her neck and head because the pain of having the implant dangle as she ran was just too much. She glanced at the stairs and saw Lena go down one floor via Olsen suddenly dragging her along.

She stopped and looked at the malicious SAR Unit with the dried blood and dust still on parts of it. It stopped and was scanning her. It was trying to figure Kara out. She’s an anomaly to it. She looked at Arias, “I’m going to take the s-stairs and have it follow me up a floor. When it f-f-follows get everyone to th-th-the helio as fast as possible and radio me when you’ve taken off. Just get high enough they can’t shoot you down or j-j-jump onboard.” 

Arias tossed her her radio and Kara took off towards the stairs. She could feel the sticky warmth of the blood running down all around her neck and her back as it seeped through her fingers. She’s losing so much blood. She steadied the implant the best she could as she ran. When she made it to the stairwell doorway she looked down the stairs at Lena, Cat, Vasques, Moores, Henshaw, Winn, and Olsen. She pulled the pistol Henshaw gave her earlier that day free from the back of her waist band and ran up the stairs. The SAR on her heels. Bits of concrete breaking off of the walls and floor as the monstrous bot barreled after her. Olsen literally had to wrestle Lena to keep her from following them.

The bombs Spheer and Arias set up on the ground floor started detonating as the bots entered the building. Arias, Danvers, Lane, and Sawyer appear in the doorway and usher the group upwards. Arias covers Lena’s mouth as they pass the eleventh floor where Kara is running and dodging the SAR unit hell bent on killing her. Sam curses under her breath when she has to help Olsen and Lena bites her hand when she stops her from screaming for Kara. 

Cat took a moment to watch as Kara fired a shot at the bot's face and ducked to avoid another attack, parts of her implant peaking out from beneath her bloody hand at the base of her skull. She looked deathly pale. Vasquez pushed Cat forward before she could see anything more. 

Kara waited as long as she could before she ran up three flights and did the same awful dance. She could hear EMPs and explosions in the stairwell below as she went further up. 

Manchester Black was sniping bots from the roof and when his team and a group of survivors burst onto the rooftop he was happy to pack up and go.

Arias grabbed his radio from him and pointed to Lena and ordered him, Olsen was exhausted and Lena was a handful. “Black, get Luthor onboard immediately. Olsen needs a break.” She shook her hand again, it still stung where Lena bit her.

They all started to board and Arias hit the call button of the radio as she did too, “Roof is clear, Kara.” She ordered Fife to get high enough that nothing could land on them. She told him about the SAR jumping from one building floor to the next. He increased the helio’s shielding to maximum and immediately took to the sky. “I want to see the building. Magnify it on the Heads Up Display. He tapped a few things and the front windows streamed a magnified view of the building roof right down to partial street level view. “We have audio too.” Fife said. Not a moment later Kara ran through the roof access door. They all watched and listened with bated breath. 

She ran as hard and as fast as her body would go. She didn’t know if she was going to survive this, but she had an impromptu plan and prayed to Rao it would work. She was feeling beyond light headed and if this plan didn’t work at least she’d take the rogue A.I. piece of shit down with her and her humans will have a chance to clear out the island without being slaughtered.

She got about half way across the roof before the SAR lunged again and this time grabbed her with one of it’s metal claws and slammed her down and held her to the floor much like it had pinned Henshaw on the road outside of the server facility. It leaned in over her and was scanning her. She yelped when it grabbed her and grunted when it slammed her down. Henshaw’s pistol dropped near her from the rough impact and her weakened state. It was just out of reach. 

AE 3258 connected to her damaged implant.

/> IDENTIFY flashed across her contacts.

Kara struggled and the claw dug into the front of her shirt tearing through the fabric and her skin. “Ah, noooo! L-let me go!”

/> IDENTIFY

It ordered again. The message flashing through her contact lenses again.

She growled at the bot above her, “You want me to identify m-myself?!” She laughed angrily at it. “You can’t figure me out and you h-hate it!”

/> IDENTIFY it electronically prompted and then in the creepiest robotic voice Kara had ever heard; it said, “Identify.”

“Go to hell!” She growled out as it pushed harder down on her and she could actually hear her ribs cracking. “AAAAHHH! AUTHORIZATION CODE L03583!!!”

/>AUTHORIZATION CODE />L03583

/> IDENTIFY it demanded.

It prompted her again electronically and verbally, “Identify.” It didn’t accept her code as her identity.

“KRYPTONIAN!” She yelled, managed to grab the pistol, and shot the unit point blank in the face shield until the clip was empty and the glass shield was shattering. It pulled away from her. She took the opportunity to get up and could hear the other units getting closer and charging up the stairwell. More of them were jumping up the building and climbing the sides from all over. Kara turned and ran for the ledge.

The infected SAR took off after her. It’s glass face shield was broken and a couple of it’s glowing circular, blue LED, robotic eyes were broken. 

Kara turned and jumped off of the roof backwards as hard as she could so she could face the Unit as it followed her to hopefully just its death. As her feet left the ledge she ripped her implant out of the base of her skull, screaming in pain as she did, and threw the bloody glowing mess at the SAR’s face. The implant detonated and AE 3258 actually made a screaming noise from the explosion as it fell after her.

Kara was falling and she felt her powers surge back into her and when they landed on the ground they each made a crater. Kara was standing in her much larger one and looked pissed while AE 3258 was a crumpled, half-blown mess. She lasered it for good measure and it blew up. 

All of the bots shut down, since the rogue A.I. that was controlling them was no longer active. The bots scaling the building walls fell. The ones mid-jump, crumpled into their landing. The drones crashed and exploded on impact. Kara looked over at the helio and pushed off from the concrete and made her crater even bigger when she took to the sky. She was flying level with Lena’s helio now and could clearly see the humans watching her on a magnified HUD. Kara gave a little wave and used her laser vision to burn the entire town. She flew along the borders and made sure the fires wouldn’t reach the tree lines.

Cat watched in pure awe of the power that had been contained by that damn implant. As Kara turned away from them the entire back of her blue shirt and the back of her dirty gray pants were soaked through with her blood. Cat thought that at a quick glance the blood around her neck and down her back resembled a red cape.

Everyone just watched. Even Lockwood who was semi-conscious and sure he was hallucinating. Lena and her team were amazed _and_ freaked out. Black and Fife were in shock as Winn answered few of their most pertinent questions. Like ‘who and what the hell is that woman’ and ‘what the fuck is happening on this island’. 

As Kara flew around and disposed of the bots to ensure the code didn’t leave the island. Lena was still gawking. As all of the humans were. They had never seen anything like this. Arias and Vasquez stood beside Lena inside the helio watching Kara take care of business the Kryptonian way and said in unison to Lena, “Your girlfriend is scary and hot.” Lena hardly registered that comment or the following ones from around the rotorcraft of ‘glad she’s on our side’ and ‘damn she’s doing some smash therapy now’ and ‘can’t blame her’. In the very back of her mind she thinks she may have replied to all of it with a simple and strangled sounding, “Yes.”

Kara did a sweep of the island, destroying any stragglers that didn’t make it to the city in time and she made a discovery. She clicked the call button on Sam’s radio and said, “I’ll finish the clean up here and meet you near the other landing zone. Don’t land. Just wait for me. I won’t be long.”

Fife put his flight helmet on and steered them towards the other end of the island to wait on the alien. As they flew around the island they could see small explosions, brief flashes of laser, structures collapsing, and sometimes a few trees toppling. 

Lena swallowed as she looked out the window at all of it, and one of the earlier comments sunk in, and she gripped a handle near her to steady herself, “Smash therapy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?
> 
> KUDOS if you like it.
> 
> Let me know what you think?
> 
> Take care!


	13. Look!

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

Kara swept the entire island and was positive that all the infected tech was unsalvageable. She could hear a message on a fragmented loop in the building she first walked through with the marines when they landed for the training. She dropped in through the roof and when the dust cleared she noticed the doors that read ‘Authorized Personnel’; behind it is the thing she keeps hearing and wants to see and investigate. She remembered passing this on their way into the training facility. She kicked in the thick metal security door. The metal folded like aluminum and crashed into the wall behind it and only one hinge was still keeping it attached. Inside of the room at the main desk was a video message playing the same few seconds over and over stuck in a partial loop. The recording was a little grainy and the man was visibly scared. “I didn’t mean-I didn’t mean-I didn’t mean-I didn’t mean.” Over and over and over it repeated.

She walked up to it and looked at the rotting corpse of a man in the desk chair. There was an obvious gunshot to his head and the gun was still in his hand. She pressed a few buttons to refresh the file and to watch it from the beginning. 

_The man was probably in his forties and he looked tired and scared. The pistol near him on the desk. “My name is Mason Banks. I’m the head supervisor here at Lord Tech Harbinger 1 Training Facility and I made a horrible mistake. I was paid to reroute units meant for other facilities to this island. I was paid...I was paid even more when I agreed to activate the new units early and upload one of them with some encrypted data. I didn’t...I didn’t ask questions. It was the only way I could see to be able to pay our medical bills. I’m so sorry. I...I thought it was run of the mill corporate sabotage. I had no idea this is what he was planning. I’m so sorry. I got...everyone killed...I didn’t mean...for any of this to happen. Please, don’t hate me. I had good...I had good reasons. But, Lex Luthor shouldn’t get away with this. He paid me to bring in the extra units, of all kinds of them, I told the teams everything was fine and they fucking believed me. They fucking trusted me. Oh God.” He starts to sob and wipe at his eyes before he ends the recording._

Kara frowned and looked down at the man who thought he was helping with simple sabotage so he could pay bills. Lex Luthor planned this. This man and the employees here are all dead because he infected Lord’s units. Does he know he almost got his sister killed? Does she know her brother did this? Is that the reason why she came here? If so...it was to save her from her brother not to clean up his mess. Lena is a good human. The best human. She is sure of it. Kara took a breath, used her knowledge of computers, and her Lord Tech access number to download the intake logs, and Mason Bank’s employee information (as well all the other employees information) and copied the video onto a thumb-drive and made sure it was free of any rogue code.

Kara used her superspeed to check the facility and found the living quarters. She cleaned her face and got the blood off of her in a quick rinse off in a cold shower and got the last of the dust out of her hair and used a tie to put it up in a loose, messy, ponytail. She pulled out the Lord Tech contact lenses and flicked them at the shower wall. The tiles cracked and they made impact holes as if she had fired bullets at the wall instead. 

She put on a pair of tight black exercise pants and a loose fitted blue tank top she had found in a small dresser. She kept her dark hiking boots. She tossed the thumb-drive in a small backpack she came across, she filled it with medicine and supplies the humans could use on the flight. She grabbed it, and two bags with the marine’s personal effects that she recovered from their tents left on the plateau when everyone ran to find Moores. She flew out of the skylight she created and as she hovered over the building she focused her energy into her vision and she shot a beam along the entire length of the structure and it started to blaze and explode.

Fife set the helio to hover over the beach near the landing zone. They noticed the large whole in the building's roof. Kara wasn’t a fan of doors right now apparently. She set the building on fire with her lasers. With her sweep of the place she only had them wait for her for about ten minutes when she flew towards them. Fife opened the cargo ramp and she landed gently. All of the humans were quiet. 

Kara took a breath and listened to their erratic beating hearts. She didn’t think any of them were scared of her, hopefully just uncertain of what to say now. This is all a lot. She’s sure it’s quite startling to see what she can do without the implant inside her. She pulled out the drive and slid it in her pocket and handed the bag to Alex, “I found pain medicine, antiseptics, and all sorts of supplies while I was in there. I thought we could use them. The other bags have personal items I retrieved from our tents.” She swallowed and frowned. “I can use my heat vision to close wounds if you think that’ll help.”

Henshaw said he’d pass and Lockwood was semi-conscious and his wound was still sealed from the chemicals used on him earlier. Moores silently took the bags with their effects and Vasquez dug through them with her.

Winn smiled, “Heat vision? You mean your lasers?”

She nodded, “That’s what your planet’s scientists called it when I was younger and they wanted to know what my abilities were. Heat vision. I like lasers though.”

He was rubbing his thighs from his sitting position, exhausted, and so sore. Would he even be able to move the next few days? “Heat vision. Lasers.” He kept saying it quietly to himself.

Cat was eyeing Kara, they all still were, but the reporter spoke up as Alex took the bag and combined the supplies with what Lena’s team had and what they had leftover to see what she could do for everyone. Cat cleared her throat, “You cleaned up.”

Kara nodded and looked at Cat, she was trying really hard not to stare at Lena, “Yes. There are advantages to being able to move fast. I was covered in so much blood and soot and just so you all know there was no hot water so don’t be too jealous.”

Cat, Fife, Moores, Lane, and Winn laughed a little. But, honestly a cold shower was something to be jealous of. Cold water and hurt muscles are a great match.

Vasquez handed Olsen an old camera out of the bag Kara brought them and she cried out in joy and had to wipe tears away at being able to have his camera back. He had already, bitterly, accepted that it was lost to the island. “Thank you.” He mumbled to Kara as he turned it around in his hands. Lane scooted a little closer and smiled at him. Kara smiled.

Alex administered meds to those who needed it and then grabbed Kara in a big hug. Kara leaned into it and smiled, “Thanks Danvers, I was hoping you wouldn’t be intimidated by me now. I know it’s a lot.”

“Never.” Alex squeezed her and Maggie joined in. Neither woman would let Kara ever think they were afraid of her. Everything this alien has done has been to help them. She kept Maggie’s from being strangled or worse in the woods. She didn’t leave them to die before going into the server building. She fought to keep the SAR unit distracted while they all got airborne. Alex and Maggie squeezed and hugged Kara until she was laughing with them.

Lena’s heart rate raced even more at the loving site. She couldn’t believe all this time, L, Kara was right in front of her. Kara’s so good. God. She’s amazing and unbelievably powerful. The displays of her abilities earlier...she’s so...Lena looks at the cleaner but messy ponytail, tight pants, loose blue tank, and her exposed arms. She’s soooo hot. 

Lena had always been attracted to Kara. Hell, even when she thought she was tech and she had been so ashamed by that fact. She was still like a magnet towards her despite what she thought was the reality. She felt even more attracted to her when they hugged in the server building, more when she introduced herself as an alien in the hallway while they were running, more when she threw a concrete slab, and even more she kissed her hand. Really every little thing she’s ever done has made her like her more, be attracted to her more, and this trip has amped it up to a level she didn’t know was possible.

Kara had a genuine grin on her face as she spoke quietly to Alex and Maggie.

Lena took off her coat and peeled off her protective vest before putting her dirty black coat back on. Everyone was settling in now that Kara wasn’t outside putting on a show with her powers. They were all trying to take off grimey layers, gear, and find little ways to get comfortable for the flight back to National City.

Lockwood went back to sleep. Henshaw was nodding off. Black was watching videos Winn took on the island. The camera he wore caught most things and some of the stuff they’ve talked about well he just wants to actually see. Moores handed Vasquez something and pointed at Lane. Vasquez got up and handed Lane her small photo album she left behind in her tent. She held it to her chest and smiled in Kara’s direction.

Cat watched it all.

Maggie hugged Kara again and went to go sit next to Cat and Alex was quick to do the same and follow her. Ready to sit and not move for several hours.

Kara looked at Lena, but didn’t know if she should just sit in the nearest open seat beside Winn or if it was acceptable to sit next to Lena instead. She feels it in her chest that sitting next to Lena is what _she_ wants to do. Sitting where is convenient and ‘safe’ is something her code would have tried to make her do. Something _Lord_ would have wanted. Still she hesitates.

Lena felt blue eyes on her and she adjusted her messy, curly updo a little and sighed. She smiled at Kara and held out her hand. Kara closed the distance between them and took it gently in her own, Lena stood up, and then she pulled her hand out of Kara’s grasp only so she could wrap her arms around Kara’s neck to hug her tightly, “Kara. We made it.”

Kara smiled into Lena’s neck and wrapped her arms around Lena in a tight hug, careful of her strength, “You promised to get me off of the island.”

“You saved us.” Lena replied.

“We all saved each other. We would have died if you and your team hadn’t come to help us. My implant wouldn’t have turned on back before exploding or I wouldn’t have been able to get it out without you.”

Lena sighed into the hug and didn’t reply. She focused on the woman in her arms. The warm air from her lips running down her neck, the strength and power contained within her amazing body. She had thought of her as an Android Goddess and it turns out she’s a powerful Alien Goddess instead. She can work with that. She really, really can. 

Sam hated messing up the moment, but she hated not knowing what was next too, “Luthor, what are we doing once we get to the city?”

Lena pulled away from Kara just enough to be able to look up at her beautiful face, non-glowing blue eyes, and she caressed her face as she spoke. “As soon as we are in range call ahead to National City Memorial. Dr. Maseo and Dr. Lida. Tell them I want the private wing for us. Whoever needs medical attention gets it.” She dropped her hand from Kara’s face and stopped hugging her to cross her arms as she faced Sam. “I think we all need to lay low and rest for a few days and then we need to find out what went wrong with the island and we deal with Maxwell fucking Lord. He doesn’t get away with what he’s done to Kara and what happened with the Harbinger 1 Facility.” 

Arias nodded, “Yeah, okay. Sounds good.” She held up her already bruising hand from where Lena had bit her a little while ago. “I should probably get a rabies vaccine.” She laughed when Lena huffed at her and used the excuse of ‘temporary insanity’ and then after a real apology she sat in the co-pilot chair and started talking to Fife.

Kara thought about the thumb-drive in her pocket. She feels like it should be a private conversation between them...but after everything they’ve all been through perhaps they all deserve to know at the same time? Her eyebrows crinkle together just a little.

Lena notices. She always notices Kara. Before she would have marveled at the depth of detail of her body and at the code that made her act human. Now, she still marvels at her but she wants to know what’s caused the little crinkle and the beginnings of a slight frown. She takes her hand and guides her so they can sit down together. She doesn’t let go of her hands. “Will you tell me what you’re thinking about?” 

Maggie tapped Alex’s thigh. She opened her eyes and lifted her head from her fiance’s shoulder. She didn’t care that her fellow unit looked at them out of curiosity. Henshaw is her step-father and he told her from the beginning that the unit would be happy for them when they reveal their relationship. Now she’s too tired and too happy to be alive to care. Maggie signed to her. -Look at them.- She pointed. 

Cat looked over too. Lena and Kara are sitting next to each other as close as possible and holding each other's hands. Kara looks concerned about something and Lena looks like she’s trying to get her to talk to her.

Maggie frowned a little. -You think Kara is okay?-

Alex nodded. -She will be. But, it will take time. She has Lena. She has us.- Alex waved her hand around the interior of the helio. -She has all of us.- She looked at Cat when she said it and the reporter blinked back tears and tried to fight back the burning feeling of guilt in her chest. 

Lena rubbed Kara’s hands. She hadn’t answered her question. Perhaps silence was her answer. What could she be thinking about that she’s unwilling to share?

Kara leaned in even closer so she could talk low and only Lena could hear her, “I trust you. This is just hard for me to say. I don’t know if you know already. But, if you don’t I...don’t want to upset you. I don’t know how you want to handle everyone else knowing either.” Lena had the data feed from the island. She’s the one that shared it with Kara. Did she know? How did she get it? Kara feels that IF Lena knew any of this was happening then she wanted to expose it and had no intention of Kara being involved. Lena is a good human. Lena is Kara’s favorite human and she refuses to believe she meant any harm.

Lena looked so worried and she gripped Kara’s hands even tighter. “Kara, tell me.”

Kara pulled a thumb-drive from her pocket and placed it in Lena’s hand. She held onto one of her hands and the other gripped the drive. “The training facility supervisor was bribed to allocate more units to the island, to turn on the SAR units early, and to infect one with the dirty code with the kill commands.”

Lena kept her voice low too, “That data is on this drive?” 

The alien swallowed, “It has the facility employee information, the inventory intake data, and a video confession.”

Her light green eyes lit up with curiosity, “A video confession. How did you manage to find that?”

“I could hear part of a video playing on a loop. I followed it to an office where it was playing on the computer. The man who confessed...he killed himself after recording it...his body was still there.”

“That’s awful.” Lena gripped the drive in her hand and looked into Kara’s eyes, “I am so sorry that you saw that, Kara. We’ll find out who bribed him, who got him to take in that many units. Hell I wouldn’t be surprised if Lord did this to try and count the projects as a loss and make an insurance claim. But, whoever did this will pay. I promise.”

Kara laced her fingers with Lena’s one hand and reached out to touch her wrist just above the flash drive, “I don’t know that it’s true or not, but in the video the supervisor said your brother is the one who paid him.”

Lena froze.

“We will find out together and I will help you however you need.” Kara gently assured her.

“I-” Lena couldn’t find the words. 

Kara eyebrows drew together and she made direct eye contact with Lena, “Lena?”

Lena clenched her jaw. She hasn’t pulled away from Kara. Part of her wants to. How could Kara still want to touch her when it was her own brother? Her own family that has caused this mess? How can she be so calm and gentle and reassuring? How is she so sure that Lena isn’t involved and was just there for a clean up? How is she so good? Why is she so worried about how Lena will take the news? Kara’s words hit her again. _I don’t know if you know already. But, if you don’t I...don’t want to upset you. I don’t know how you want to handle everyone else knowing either._ Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! She’s giving her a chance to explain if she did somehow know. SHE gave her the feed with the weird info that prompted the investigation. Oh God. Kara thinks she knew about all of it and then what? Went for the clean up to protect the Luthor name? Fuck, the WORLD knows Lex and Lillian are insane. Lena has worked so hard to prove she’s not like them. Shit. Does Kara even know any of that? If so then how much? What must she be thinking of her right now? Oh God. What if she thinks she pulled the strings to play the hero after wanting to ruin Lord Tech for some kind of buyout? Oh God. Kara. 

Lena’s breathing was irregular and she was sure she was on the verge of experiencing a panic attack. Kara let go of Lena’s wrist and started to gently rub her arm, up and down with gentle squeezes.

Maggie looked over at Alex who was still watching them with her. -What the hell just happened? Lena doesn’t look good.-

Alex looked at them and at Maggie and just shrugged and shook her head. Cat was watching it with some mild concern but not saying anything. All of the marines and Lockwood were passed out already. Black and Winn were still looking at footage. Arias and Fife were busy navigating.

Lena looked away from Kara and to the middle of the floor near them. 

Kara knew she’d have to switch her tactic because Lena’s heart rate is even faster and her breathing wasn’t even. She needed to help her calm down and understand that she trusts her completely. Kara removed her hand from Lena’s arm and gently grabbed Lena’s chin and pulled her back to face her again, “I have no negative thoughts towards you Lena. I gave you the data and the only copy of that confession. I trust you. I just want to know what you want to do now. I’ll follow your lead. I thought that perhaps, if you didn’t know about your brother’s possible involvement then you should. So you can plan or be ready if he’s targeting you too. He’s done that before right? I remember hearing a Lord Tech employee talk about it. He’s tried to have you killed before?” It upset Kara then. But, back then her code limited how much she could focus on it. Now, she’s boiling at the thought of someone trying to hurt Lena in any way and no code is stopping her from feeling that way.

Lena’s self-destructive and anxious thoughts grind to an immediate halt and she looks into those bright blue eyes. She looks down at the thumb-drive and Kara lets go of her chin as she does. Fuck. Kara handed her the information and told her what she knew. How can she be this good? This kind and trusting? She kept her voice low, “I’m sorry I just wasn’t expecting this.” 

Kara squeezed Lena’s knee with her free hand, “Take however long you need. Just please do not doubt my feelings or loyalty towards you.”

Lena’s heart skips a fucking beat or two and she looks down at Kara’s lips. Oh God. “I appreciate your trust.” 

Kara smirked, “I appreciate a lot of things about you, Lena.”

Lena rolled her eyes and sighed. Of Course she’d start to flirt now. At this moment. She flirted after she restarted her implant and before her surgery while they were all swarmed by bots so why not now when they’re navigating her family’s involvement in this mess. “I didn’t know about Lex’s involvement. He escaped out of prison right before we left National City to help you. I don’t know if his timing is by chance or not. But with Lex I believe there is no such thing as a coincidence.”

The Kryptonian trusts her favorite human and she’s glad that even though it upset Lena at least she knows about her brother’s potential involvement,“I believe you and if you think it’s not a coincidence then it’s not. We’ll be extra careful until he’s back in custody. I will not let him hurt you Lena.”

The CEO took a breath, shook her head, and looked up at the roof of the craft, all at the same time. “How can you...trust me so easily?” She looked back at Kara’s blue eyes.

“I’ve been around you for years and you’ve never given me a reason to not trust you. Even when you thought I was an A.I. you treated me with respect and kindness. You treated me as a friend. You have been the bright spot in my awful existence for years. Why would that change so suddenly? Just because your criminal brother made a mess?”

Lena swallowed and couldn’t think of a single damn response. She replayed the highlight in her mind as she stared at blue eyes and pink lips. _You treated me with respect and kindness. You treated me as a friend. You have been the bright spot in my awful existence for years. Why would that change so suddenly?_ And she really doesn’t care about the Luthor name and the baggage that comes with it? Oh God. 

“Lena?” Kara said her name (again?). The look she was giving her told her that maybe she had been trying to get her attention for way longer than what can be considered normal.

“Yes?”

Kara sighed and smiled softly. “How do you want to tell the others?”

“We will tell them before we land at the hospital.” She replied and looked at Kara like she was the center of the universe. Her universe.

The Kyrptonian grinned and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into her. Lena relaxed into it, rested her head into the blonde's neck, and closed her eyes.

Alex slapped at Maggie. -Look!-

Maggie grinned and stifled a giggle. Cat looked too and a kind smile spread across her face. 

Danvers laughed quietly and signed again. -So sweet! Whatever it was they talked it out.-

Sawyer nodded. -I wish I could take pictures. Look it. So cute. Alex, my heart. I can’t. Too cute. Ahhhh!-

Then when Maggie’s heart just could not take any more. More happened.

Kara rested her head on Lena’s and then after a moment of debate she placed a kiss on top of her head. Lena smiled and opened her eyes so she could sit back up and look at her. Kara smiled and maybe blushed a little. 

Lena licked her lips, “Would you be interested in a kiss on the lips? You’ve kissed my hand and my head. It’s not too much of a stretch of the imagination that you might be interested in more.”

The alien smiled, she was ecstatic, “Yes. I’d enjoy that.”

Lena leaned in and Kara’s lips met hers more than half way and Lena had to fight to not let out a moan at the contact. It was firm, but careful and Kara continued the kiss. One of her strong, bare arms was still wrapped around her and the other was gripping her thigh now while Lena gripped Kara’s arm and part of her tank top. God. They are on an aircraft with witnesses. Control yourself Luthor.

Kara pulled away and blinked as if a little disoriented. 

The CEO laughed quietly, let go of the tank top, and caressed Kara’s cheek and pulled her in for another semi-chaste kiss.

Maggie looks like she just won the lottery and is not even trying to contain her excitement. She’s getting all bouncy and signing shit like, -omg loooook-, -it’s so sweet-, -Alex does this mean we can adopt Lena too?-, and -oh shiiiiiiit, they are using tongue!- Alex, however, is too damn tired to outwardly do much, but, holy shit, yeah they kissing. A lot. It’s definitely progressed from PG and is closer to R territory now. Fuck she better not lose that bet. That’s fifty bucks!

Arias nods and smirks at Danvers and Sawyer after spotting the two kissing and apparently can read minds or something. The bet is still on and Arias is a cocky bitch. That is Alex’s opinion as she calms her fiance and forces her to be still so she can sleep on her shoulder until they land. 

Comments? I love hearing what you think about each chapter as we go!

KUDOS if you're enjoying this please :D

Take Care!


	14. Billboard Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew is back in National City.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

First off. I added screen shots from the movie that this is based on to past chapters. They go along with some of the different scenes. Go back and check them out if you’re interested. ENJOY!!!

  
  


Kara is resting her head on Lena’s. The human is sleeping soundly and is using her strong shoulder as a pillow. She glances down at her and closes her eyes. She listens to her breathing and to her distinct heartbeat. She commits the beautiful sound to memory. 

She gets lost in the gentle beat for a long time. She can feel herself close to falling asleep, but she fights it and opens her eyes, without moving her head from its resting place and she looks around the osprey style helio at the humans. They are all asleep except for Mr. Fife and Arias. 

Kara gently wrapped her arm around Lena and sighed into the woman. She’s surprised she almost fell asleep. It’s been so many years since she’s been without an implant with a sleep mode function that she doesn’t know how that’s going to go now. Before, she got that upgrade she would fall asleep from pure exhaustion only and then she would be plagued by nightmares every single time. Nightmares of her planet being destroyed, of losing everything, of losing Kal, of being stuck in the Phantom Zone alone, of being carted away to a military base the day she landed on an Earth beach, of the torture, and just so many things. The sleep function not only helped to insure Kara got to actually fall asleep but it kept her from dreaming. It’s why she was so confused over the dream she had in the outpost. But, to be almost lulled by Lena’s heart beat alone felt like another gift from Rao. 

Lena moved around a little beside her, her heart beating faster than when she’s asleep, and she slowly lifted her head to look at Kara. The others started waking up and stretching about the craft and were watching the two women with polite curiosity. 

The blonde smiled down at her but didn’t move anymore than she had too. She didn’t want to admit that the thought of being separated from the woman in any way right now may break her. 

“Hey. Did you sleep?” Lena asked her as she grasped at the woman’s forearm and rubbed her there in a gentle soothing motion. 

Kara shook her head, “No. I feel rested, but I am really hungry. I eat a lot when I’m not not hindered by that green rock or Lord’s synthetic emitters of it.”

“How much is a lot?” Kara needs food as soon as they get to the hospital.

“I don’t really know, I was never allowed to eat my fill...and I didn’t have these powers back on my planet. One of your Earth scientists hypothesized that it has to do with your yellow sun.”

Lena raised her eyebrows. She felt fully awake now. “Will you tell me about Krypton’s sun?”

Kara licked her lips and looked around at the other humans in thought. She didn’t mind that they were listening. They’ve all proven they’re trustworthy. Lena sat up more but held Kara’s arms firmly around her waist. The alien smiled at the gesture. “Krypton had a red sun. Our sun is our God, Rao. His holy light sustains us, protects us, and guides us through the darkness.”

Lena picked up on the past-tense and she felt her chest tighten at the implication. _Krypton had a red sun._ Did her star die? She didn’t use past-tense to describe the sun itself. Is Krypton gone?

Kara picked up the change in Lena’s heart rhythm immediately and glanced down at her chest. Lena noticed her looking down at her like she can hear her heartbeat. Can she?

The brunette squeezed Kara’s forearm and gripped one of her hands with her own, “I...I suppose when your abilities are not being blocked by any form of that rock then it makes sense that the differences in our sun’s could have to do with your powers. Your cells react differently and you have some form of photosynthesis.”

Kara nodded, “That’s what I’ve heard.”

“Speaking of hearing…” Lena turned a little towards her but held onto her hand still. “When you said you heard that video on loop...that you followed it to an office. You didn’t mean that you heard it just from the hallway did you?”

A few of the crew are wondering what video she is referring to. 

“No, I heard it from across the island. I can hear everything.”

Lena looked at her in pure amazement. “Wow.” She scanned her and smiled, “You...are amazing. So, when you glanced down at my chest...you’re not looking at my breasts, you were looking because you heard my heart rate change.” 

Kara laughed quietly, “I’m looking for both of those reasons.”

Lena suddenly blushed a little at the statement and Maggie and Alex were giggling from their seats. 

“Oh,” was Lena’s well thought out reply.

The alien cracked a smile. “As a child, when I first landed, my powers were much weaker, I had limited sun exposure, but the powers were present, and while I was effectively contained by your military they wanted to know what all I was capable of. At first I resisted. I was scared and I didn’t like the conversations I could hear throughout the base. I knew they had no real intention of letting me go, of following through with their lies that they would find me a home and a family once my baseline tests were finished and I was registered to legally be on your planet.”

“What made you stop resisting?”

“Hunger. When they started to starve me I eventually showed them what I could do as I discovered my abilities along with them. Strength, heightened senses, flight, heat vision, freeze breath, x-ray vision, speed, near invulnerability, and so on. They couldn’t pierce my skin with their needles, or their weapons, but they could starve me and then one day there was this green rock and it changed everything.”

Lena and the others were trying to mentally unpack everything in what she said. They illegally kept a nearly invulnerable child that they starved to get their results until they found the one thing that can physically weaken her enough to do anything they wanted to her. She discovered what she could do right along with them in hopes of being fed and yet she had never been able to eat her fill.

“Kara...I...are...were you always hungry with the implant too?”

“No, without my powers I have a human or at least comparable to human metabolism...and Lord crafted somewhat palatable meal bars to sustain me. I ate them in my private quarters at Lord Tech. It wouldn’t have been good had his ‘A.I.’ been caught eating.”

Cat looked pissed, they all did...angry and sad. “Those meal bars were not palatable. Kara shared the last of hers with us on the island.”

Winn nodded and made a face.

Kara shrugged, “I don’t know what your human food is supposed to taste like. I’ve seen meals that Lord and his employees eat and I’ve seen commercials and glimpses of shows with meals, but I’ve never been allowed to have anything other than meal shakes and meals bars. I did have...bread...I think it was called bread... I had that a few times before Lord purchased me from an alien black-market. It was hard and bland. I can’t say that I’m curious to try that again. I prefer the meal bars.”

Alex stood and marched over to Kara and Lena. “You…” She was red faced. “...you...those motherfuckers. Alien black-market Kara? You said the military had you and then Lord.”

The alien frowned and looked at the floor as she let go of Lena’s hand and scooted to the edge of her seat, “I was stolen from the military base after six years of being held there, they… the people who stole me knew about the green rock and me somehow, and I was kept as a slave for about four years with them, before Lord bought me from an alien market. I’m not sure if I’m using the right term for it, but it was a place where humans could trade currency for aliens.”

Lena was wiping away tears discreetly. She wasn’t the only one. Susan was blinking hers away rapidly.

Alex pulled Kara up into a strong hug and she didn’t fight it. “Kara, I am so sorry. I am so sorry that you have been treated so, so...so badly and that you’ve experienced so much fucking darkness on our planet.” Kara hugged Alex back and listened to her pounding heart and blood rushing through her veins.

“Alex Danvers, you have nothing to be sorry for. None of you do. It’s like I told Henshaw and all of you back on the island. I know not to judge individuals for the actions of others. Human or not. Rao, has tested me my entire life. I have finally gained my freedom. Two good things happened from being on that island. I got to meet all of you and I was able to get away from Lord’s control.” Kara let go of Alex and smiled at her.

Alex sniffled and pulled the blonde into another hug. She couldn’t imagine it. A young girl landing here, alone perhaps, and being promised to be let go and to have a family and instead gained a lifetime of pain and being controlled. “Kara, were you with your family when you landed? You haven’t mentioned them.”

Kara gripped the marine’s shoulder and smiled sadly, “I was alone when I landed and I lost my family a long time ago.”

Cat sighed and her heart hurt for the woman, “How old were you when you landed here?”

“Physically I was thirteen.”

Lena looked at her with a deep in thought expression, knit brows, and slight frown, “How do you mean?”

Kara sat back down next to the brunette and Alex went back to Maggie’s side. “It’s...hard to explain. I don’t have it in me to talk about it right now. I am sorry, Lena.”

She still looked deeply perplexed, but she shook her head, “It’s okay. Kara, whenever you are ready.” She cupped her face and kissed her gently. She then addressed the entire crew. “Kara found evidence on the island pertaining to who started the mess with the kill command and reprogramming of the units. She found a video confession of a manager of Harbinger that named my brother as the culprit. He hired the man to illegally source more units to the island and to upload the kill command code to the S.A.R. unit. I suspect he did it to screw with Maxwell Lord and Lord Tech profits. Those two never got along.” Lena’s jaw tightened and she looked pretty angry. “I don’t know how he managed to orchestrate the disaster from prison and manage to escape from there too, but, he’s always got something devious going on. I am sorry that he’s done this to all of you. We will stay low and not let anyone know we are back for a few days. I plan to wait on Lex to dramatically reveal himself before he attempts to kill me again and then I’ll send him right back to prison where he belongs.”

There were collective ‘woahs’ and ‘goddamns’ from the crew. Kara nodded at Lena though, “I will help you stay safe from him Lena. He doesn’t or shouldn’t know about me. He won’t be expecting me at your side.”

Lena laughed a little, “Yes I’d love to see Lex piss himself when you hold him up by his shirt collar.”

Kara laughed with her. A few others did too and Meghan added in, “Lord too. I bet he’ll piss himself.”

The alien laughed a little harder, “Yes, but I’ll need help with him. He’ll have synthetic emitters set up or physical forms of that rock to weaken me. In case the implant and his fail-safes weren’t enough. If you can turn them off and keep the rock or rocks away from me then I can get him too.”

Lane nodded, “Don’t you worry about it.”

Kara smiled at the woman and Arias stood up as the pilot, Mr. Fife began to radio in their arrival. “We’ve been cleared to land at the hospital. They think we’re a private company life-flight out of Oregon. Dr. Maseo and Dr. Lida will be greeting us with their teams per your demand.”

Lena smiled at Arias and the woman took her seat again.

On the hospital landing pad, the two doctors and their medical teams were immediately served electronic non-disclosure agreements and Lena ordered them to use the employee elevators to get everyone to the private wing. She needs no witnesses outside of this team if they’re to surprise Lord and still keep the upper hand with her ridiculous brother. She used her tablet to access the hospital security system and to make sure none of them are recorded. 

Fife took the helio back to Lena’s hangar at her order.

Sam, Manchester, Lena, Jack, and Kara were the only ones to not receive any medical attention. Susan had what remained of her right arm cleaned and re-wrapped, the staff were amazed at the perfect cauterization of the wound. Hank, had to have his right leg amputated and was currently in surgery. Meghan was with trauma specialist Dr. Lida, she was inspecting her for internal bleeding, tears, and broken bones. Before booking an operating room for Ben. Maggie had x-rays, despite Kara assuring her nothing was broken, and her neck wrapped. Everyone receiving attention got their cuts and scrapes cleaned and I.V.’s set up for fluids and any needed medications. 

As everyone was being seen, Lena had one of the staff bring up a cart from the kitchen for everyone to eat. Kara sat there in her exercise pants, blue loose tank, and her hair still in a messy ponytail, and happily ate four trays worth of food and even though Lena could tell she wanted more the alien stopped herself after one of the staff whispered to a fellow employee as they watched her with wide eyes. Lena squeezed her hand and placed a kiss on her cheek.

The blonde smiled somewhat sheepishly. To the staff she ate like someone who had never eaten before or had never had any of the foods before even though most everything was easily considered a staple food. 

Lena finished her grilled chicken and her salad and gave Kara her bread roll and slice of pie. The alien grinned and quickly ate them too. “This bread is so soft. What is pie? What is in this? Why does it taste so good?”

Lena just watched her. If she thought this was good she can’t wait to see her reaction to other foods.

Cat got comfortable in one of the rooms after a hot shower and changed into clean spare scrubs. She used a private and secure network thanks to Winn and sent a quick message to Carter and his father that she was still on her business trip and was looking forward to coming home. 

Hours later both Henshaw and Lockwood were out of their respective surgeries and resting in private rooms. Lena had other rooms set up for everyone to stay for a while. 

“Lena?” Kara eyed her as people talked about getting rest in their rooms. “Are you staying here tonight too?”

“I’m thinking about it. The weekend is half over and I shouldn’t miss work Monday if I want to avoid suspicion from Lord for the moment. He knows I was curious about what was going on and that I am...attached to you. But, I also don’t have the patience for my brother to show up tonight at my place. I can’t decide whether or not to stay here or try and go home.”

“I’m going with you if you’re going home.” Kara was feeling pretty attached too.

Lena’s heart warmed at that.

Arias seemingly just fucking appeared at Lena’s side and startled her. “Both places are secure Miss Luthor and at either place you’ll have Kara watching after you as well. I will personally be staying to wait for Lockwood to wake up and help watch over everyone here for now. But, I will have security bolstered wherever you go and they will be notified that you have a friend with you that is an ally. Also, by the way...Dr. Lida said I can’t get a rabies shot. I disagree and when I start foaming at the mouth I want you-” 

Lena rolled her eyes, “-I said I was sorry.” She looked over at Kara, “I’ll go home then. Kara can escort me everywhere but she’ll avoid all CCTV and then once everyone is stable and safe we will go after Lord and my brother.”

“Unless the bald creep just shows up.” Arias mumbled.

“Correct.” Lena smiled at her friend and head of security. “Get some rest and we will check on you all tomorrow. Send me everyone’s sizes and I’ll have an assortment of clothes and hygienic items sent over in the morning.”

Arias nodded and headed back to Lockwood’s room. Black greeted her at the door. 

Lena nodded towards the exit and Kara looked at the elevator doors, “I’d like to see Alex and Maggie before we leave, if that is alright.”

“Of course.”

Kara went to Henshaw’s room where he was still sleeping off anesthesia. The two women were clean and in spare clothes of staff and huddled together on a couch with several blankets draped over them. Alex had on scrubs and Maggie had on scrub bottoms and a grey comfortable looking sweater. Maggie got up and greeted Kara with a light hug and the marine carefully adjusted her soft neck collar around her neck. The blonde smiled and hugged her back. She looked at the man sleeping soundly, “How’s he doing?”

Alex watched him sleep, “The amputation went well...as well as it could. He should wake up in a few hours, but with everything that happened on the island I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t just sleep through the night.”

“His heartbeat is strong. He will be okay, Alex.”

The auburn haired marine looked so fragile under a pile of blankets on the couch and it made Kara want to cry for a moment, and she thought of how the human is quick to comfort her with hugs. So, she crossed the floor and landed on top of the woman to carefully tackle her with a bear hug atop the couch. She didn’t stop until Alex was returning the hug and laughing into her shoulder as she messed with her. Kara let go of her and sat up on her knees where Maggie had been stationed at her side. “Feeling a little better?”

“Yeah, you fucking weirdo. Thanks.”

Kara smirked, “You’re welcome.”

Alex blinked away tears, “Thanks, really Kara. I’m just worried about him and I know my Mom is going to flip the fuck out when we tell her about this and she’s going to be so upset. Not telling her right now is...hard.”

“She will be upset, but I imagine she will understand the need for caution at the moment. If Lord knew we were all back at that Winn has footage and that we can all attest to what happened at his facility...well he gets rid of problems...he gets rid of anything that doesn’t fit his ideal image.”

“He’s not getting rid of this problem.”

Maggie and Lena agreed. Kara hugged Alex again and hugged Maggie on the way out of the room, “I’ll see you both in the morning. I’m going with Lena.”

Maggie laughed and sat back down with Alex, “Oh, well you go have lots of fun with your girlfriend then. We’ll be here. Freezing our tits off in a hospital waiting for everyone to recharge.”

Lena laughed loudly as she waited for Kara in the doorway.

Kara crossed her arms over her chest and looked mildly alarmed, “That sounds painful. Why would you say that?”

Maggie laughed and Alex shook her head, “It’s just an expression about how it’s really cold here.”

The alien nodded her head slowly, “Okay, well I’m off to ‘have a lot of fun with my girlfriend’.”

Alex giggled and Lena sighed. God she would not mind if that were true. After a bath of course. Kara just smiled at them and then followed Lena towards the elevators. On the way she waved bye Meghan, Susan, Jack, James, and Lucy.

Maggie signed to Alex. -I bet $50 that Lena initiates sex first.-

Alex laughed. -Uh, no, Kara is. You better have $50 to give me tomorrow.-

-Lena had her tongue down Kara’s throat before the island was even completely out of view.-

-You heard Kara flirting with her. She’s been repressed her entire time on earth and now the lady she’s been crushing on for years is kissing her and openly enjoying being flirted with. Come on.-

-Maybe, but Lena has been wanting to tap that for years too, but was worried because she thought she was attracted to a really fucking pretty and artificially sweet robot. Now? Whoa. Shut the door, lock it, close the curtains, and it’s time to ride it cowgirl.-

Alex and Maggie giggle. 

The elevator doors closed and Kara smiled at Lena, “I’ve never been allowed out in the city before. I was in a van for transport, but I was in the back and not allowed to get near the windows.”

Lena grabbed her hand and held it all the way to her private car when Kara assured her there was no one to witness their exit.

The brunette watched Kara bounce around the back seat and take the city in around them. The divider was up and even the driver hadn’t laid eyes on the blonde. Kara watched people walking on the sidewalk and listened to conversations. Un-filtered conversations. Not having her implant that censors so much of her input will take some getting used to, but she’s happy regardless. She’s already getting used to filtering out a lot of what she does and does not want to hear. 

She noticed a billboard coming up on Lena’s side of the vehicle and it’s of a woman almost completely bare in semi-sheer black material. She’s gorgeous and Kara leans across Lena to get a good look out of the CEO’s window at the billboard, “Oh, look at her Lena.” 

Lena laughed quietly when the alien leaned across her to see the woman in lingerie on the massive billboard, “I see her.”

“That would have definitely been censored by my implant. Wow. I can practically see her...everything.” Kara squinted a little at the sign before they fully passed it.

“Kara? Did you just try to x-ray the sign?” Lena asked incredulously with a tinge of humor in her voice.

“What? No.” Kara sat back in her seat. She really had. No way that would have worked. Can't blame an alien for trying. “I was just wondering...if you have any clothing like that.”

Lena smiled widely, opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again to appraise the woman.

The alien swallowed. Oh no. Was that too much? “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No...Kara, it’s okay. More than okay. You’re curious about all the things that have been kept from you and censored over the years. It’s natural.” She fought at the blush rising.

Kara listened to Lena’s fast heart rate and looked at the woman’s chest as she did, “Tell me if I ever do or say something to make you feel uncomfortable around me. Please.”

Lena realized what she meant, “I’m not uncomfortable...well uncomfortably aroused maybe. You’ve done nothing wrong and I will tell you how I feel and I expect the same honesty from you. Conversations like this though are best to have while we are alone.”

Kara made that mental note and looked at Lena’s green eyes and down to her pink lips. That is what she’s been smelling? Lena is aroused by her. They are both aroused. Rao. “Do you? Have clothing like that on the large sign?”

Lena smirked and looked at the woman, “Yes.”

The blonde grinned wide enough to put her dimples on display, but her curiosity knows no bounds. “Is that what human women usually wear under their clothes? Is that similar to what you have on under yours now?”

The CEO laughed and gripped Kara’s arm, “Some women wear undergarments similar to that all the time. Some don’t wear them at all or just on special occasions. Everyone is different with their own preferences.” She paused and let go of the alien’s bare arm. “I’m not currently wearing anything so appealing. Simple and practical. Suitable for raiding an island.”

Kara’s blue eyes scanned Lena up and down and tilted her head, “I’ve only ever had simple and practical for myself.” She smiled at the brunette, “I have a feeling you make ‘simple’ appear remarkable.”

A remark that tugged at her heartstrings quickly tugged at something else and she felt her own heart rate spike again. 

Kara looked at her chest again and smirked, “You like compliments.”

The vehicle began to pull into Lena’s building parking garage. She leaned in and kissed Kara on her cheek, “I like when _you_ compliment me. We’re here.”

Lena accessed her security feeds and made sure Kara wouldn’t be recorded. “Let’s go.”

Kara accepted Lena’s offered hand and followed her. She observed the sleek design of the building, the lobby, the elevators. She eyed the security guards who just nodded at her (Arias said they would know about Kara) and said nothing about her presence or her awestruck stares at everything around her. Lena pulled Kara around the detectors and multiple scanners, opting not to use any of them.

  
  


OH cliffhanger. Sorry! Over 4K words though! timemachine1866 and other lovely souls will surely comment on this. ☮

What do you think?

Comments?

KUDOS?

Take care out there! 

  
  



	15. Pop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara gets a taste of life and freedom.

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens

  
  


Mature content. Rated M. SMUT. (finally right?!)

  
  


Kara and Lena approached the penthouse door from the hallway and the brunette looked over at the alien, “What were the hospital staff whispering about earlier?”

Kara furrowed her brows, “When? They were whispering the entire time.”

Lena laughed quietly, of course they were, it was all a bit strange. Lying and saying they were coming from Oregon, NDAs, using the private wing of her majority share hospital, a motley crew of wounded soldiers, and Kara who was undeniably acting alien while they were there. “After your fourth tray of food. I could tell you wanted more, but you heard them say something and you stopped yourself.”

“Oh, they were just trying to figure out how I could eat so much and why I was asking questions about all of the food. I didn’t even realize how much I had eaten until I heard them.”

Lena accessed her security panel and opened the penthouse door, “You’re still hungry aren’t you?”

Kara nodded and walked inside with her. She took off her boots when she saw Lena doing that at the door and she was looking around with intense curiosity. 

“Hope, order 4 different meals and a few appetizers from the nearest 5 star Chinese place to be delivered and promise a $200 tip for speedy and excellent service.” Lena said.

Kara remembered Lena telling her about Hope, her A.I. assistant. A female voice sounded through a small, discreet speaker near the entryway, “I’m placing your order. Anything else?”

“Check with Sam for clothing sizes, make the appropriate orders, include general hygiene products for each person she mentions, and have it all delivered to her secure location in the morning by Jess. Thanks, Hope. That’ll be all for now.” Lena walked to her laundry room and put her coat in the dirty clothes basket

“You expanded Hope beyond your corporate lab.”

Lena smiled, “Yes, a couple of months ago I asked her if she would like to be synced with my home network. She said yes.”

Kara just nodded. She wasn’t sure how she felt about A.I. right now after everything that just happened at the Harbinger facility, but she shouldn’t judge Hope because of what happened with bad coding and the SAR unit.

Lena could tell Kara was a little wary and she didn’t blame her. “Here, let me give you a quick tour.”

Kara followed her and just absorbed the feel of Lena’s place. It was immaculate; she has nice art work on all of the walls and thriving plants along every window. She particularly liked that there was a really nice balcony accessible from her living room space and both bedrooms. 

She showed her the spare room and bathroom last and grabbed Kara clean clothes to sleep in. A large green v-neck tee that she enjoyed on a rare lazy Saturday and a pair of simple polyester white shorts. 

“I’m going to get cleaned up. The food will be here in a little bit. You can use the bathroom in the hall and…” Lena gently squeezed Kara’s hand and smiled at her warmly, “make yourself comfortable Kara. It’s just us here.”

Kara smiled back and held her hand, “And Hope.”

Lena nodded, “Yes, Hope too.”

Lena let go and went into her room. She closed the door behind her and started to run water for her hot lavender bath. She was sore and bruised with little scrapes from the island and she stripped out of her dirty clothes. She willed herself not to make any noises to alarm Kara. The woman gingerly lowered herself in the hot water and bubbles and sighed quietly as she sank in and submerged her curls as she did. After a little while she drained out the dirty water and refilled her large tub. She rested her head against the porcelain behind her and thought about the alien wandering around her place. What’s she up to right now? Did she shower again? Is she still or did she use her speed? Is she comfortable with being here? Kara told her she was coming with her if she came home. Was it only because of the threats they are still facing? She suspects that Kara wanted to be around her as much as she wanted to be around the alien. She grabbed her luffa and began scrubbing herself down again before moving on to cleaning her hair.

Kara had leaned out the guest room doorway to watch Lena retreat to her private quarters. She used her x-ray vision and watched her gather clothes and items and then walk into a massive bathroom with a large shower in the corner and a huge tub along the wall. Kara blinked and looked away when Lena’s hands reached for the hem of her long sleeve shirt. She walked into the guest bathroom and stripped and stepped into the shower. She stood there for a while just letting the hot water run over her. She took the time to wash the remains of grime from her long blonde locks and she carefully scrubbed from head-to-toe and all in the nicest hygiene products. She hadn’t used anything like that since Krypton. She sighed and rinsed.

She used her speed to dry herself, her hair, and to clothe herself in the underwear, white shorts, and large baggy green v-neck shirt. She stood at the counter and picked up a blue toothbrush, still in it’s packaging. Lena had pulled it from under the sink and smiled at her as she placed it on the white marble surface. Kara smiled and used her speed to brush her teeth. She was definitely enjoying having the use of her powers. And speaking of, she focused back on Lena and listened. She could hear her still in the huge tub. As she listened to her she looked at herself in the large bathroom mirror, her hair was dry and soft from the wash and she ran her fingers through again to make sure there were not tangles. Then she grabbed up her dirty clothes and instead of putting them in the dirty clothes basket she put them in the washing machine as she may need them for tomorrow. As she did she heard Lena wince and mumble, “Fuck.”

Kara looked a little alarmed. She walked, despite the urge to just speed in and check on Lena. She knew for a fact the woman was in there alone, so she wasn’t being attacked. She was still in the tub. She hadn’t been in there long at all. Kara didn’t spend much time in the shower. Ten minutes maybe. She tapped on Lena’s door to her quarters, “Lena?”

Lena sat up a little in the tub. She had started cleaning her hair, “Yes? Are you okay?”

“Yes. I heard you wince. Are you hurt?” Of course she is. She’s sore from everything they endured that day and now the adrenaline has subsided and her body may need medical attention and certainly needs rest. Dammit. She should have insisted Lena stay at the hospital just to be cautious. 

Lena thought for a moment she looked down at the hot water. A thick layer of bubbles served as a barrier for semi-modest conversation. She thought that maybe it would calm her to actually see that she is okay, “You can come in.”

The alien hadn’t expected that, but was more than happy to do just that. She was just wondering if Lena would let her see her and give her visible reassurance, but she didn’t know how’d she respond. She was tempted to use her x-ray vision, but she didn’t want to invade her personal space anymore than she already was. Getting caught trying to x-ray that sign was bad enough. 

Kara opened the door and then she leaned and peaked into the bright, white marble and porcelain bathroom with apparent interest. Her blonde hair shifted like a soft curtain as she peaked in. “Hello.”

Lena was working in some conditioner and she smiled brightly at the curious little alien. Her body was behind the wall with her face, shoulder, and clean and dry hair swaying. “Hello. Come in. See? I’m okay.”

Kara swallowed and walked in. Lena was washing her hair in something that smelled divine. But, Kara frowned at the dark bruising on the woman. From being tossed out of an exploding building, to avoiding attacks, and being very physically drug back onto her aircraft...well she was covered in bruises and Kara just knew it was just as bad or worse under those bubbles.

“It looks bad, I know and I’m sore, but I’m okay. I promise.” The brunette said in a calm, soothing voice.

The alien nodded slowly, but was still frowning, “I’m sorry...how many of those are from _me_?”

Lena stopped what she was doing and smiled softly at the alien. She rinsed her hands from the conditioner and held out one to Kara over the edge of the tub.

Kara met her at the tub and accepted her hand. She held it gently and looked into her green eyes. Did she cause any of these? When she threw her to James? When she hugged her or held her on the way back? Lena hadn’t acted like she was in pain, but maybe she was controlling her reactions to keep her from worrying. Kara wanted to punch a wall. She thought she was doing well regulating her strength. She did it as a child until she got stronger and her captures started to rely heavily on the green rock to keep her from escaping. She thought she had fallen back into that familiar groove from years ago as she swept the island. She hugged the others and was so careful. Had she hurt them too? 

Lena tugged at her hand, “Please sit.” 

Kara sunk to the floor, but kept her back to the tub and was staring at the white marble counters. She squeezed the woman’s hand carefully.

The brunette’s heart rate was picking up out of sheer worry that Kara would retreat from her emotionally...physically...retreat in any way. The thought hurt more than any of her fresh bruises.

“Kara. You didn’t give me any of these because of your strength. I may have a couple from where Olsen caught me. Everything else is from the skirmish in the city and from the people that had to restrain me and keep me from getting back to you…”

Kara nodded and swallowed back tears. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.” She let go of Kara’s hand and scooted to the edge of the tub and leaned in. She cupped Kara’s face, turned her so she was looking at her instead and not the rest of the bathroom, “These are practically self-inflicted. I gave Arias, Olsen, and Spheer a very hard time. I owe them a proper apology.” Kara had managed to not cry, her frown was mostly gone, and the crinkle between her eyebrows was less severe. Lena smiled and pulled Kara’s face to her own. The impossibly strong alien let herself be pulled and eagerly met her for the kiss she was offering. 

They kissed slowly and Lena didn’t pull away until she could literally feel the tension melt from Kara. When she did pull away Kara had a light blush on her face and a small smile on her lips. Lena let go of her beautiful face and sank back into the warm water.

Kara eyed her. She was still mostly covered by layers of bubbles, but she was more intrigued now that she’s not feeling as guilty over Lena’s bruising. 

Lena laughed as she watched the blue eyes roam over the expanse of the tub, “Do you like my tub Kara?”

The alien smirked and her eyes sparkled, “I do. It’s very nice. I’m particularly interested in what’s currently inside of your tub.” She crawled on her knees to the end where Lena’s head was resting and she leaned in and kissed her again. Just as gently and then she stood up and started backing out of the bathroom, “You finish this and I’ll be exploring your home and trying...very hard not to use my x-ray vision while you’re in here.”

The brunette laughed and grinned as the blonde practically darted out of the bathroom. 

Kara could hear Lena getting dressed and she turned away from that direction to help with her growing urge to look. As she continued to struggle Lena’s A.I. suddenly spoke from a speaker in the living room ceiling. “Kara. The food deliverer is in the building and is being processed by security now. She will be at the door in approximately 2 minutes.”

The alien looked up and around at the ceiling, “Thank you, Hope.” She didn’t see any cameras. “Hope?”

“Yes, Kara?”

“Can you see me?”

“No. I have no cameras within Miss Luthor’s residence at this time. She will sometimes manually connect me to her tablet camera or phone.”

“Hmmm. Okay. Are...are you okay with that?” Lena said Hope was pretty aware of herself and even requested to be referred to as a female.

“Yes. I respect Lena’s choice to not have cameras within her residence.”

Kara was listening to the delivery woman being guided into the elevator with an armed escort, “Are you present both here and at L Corp at all times?”

Lena walked into the living room wearing soft blue sleep shorts, a white tank top, and a pretty silk light pink robe. She smiled at Kara, able to hear their conversation from her room with her door open. Kara couldn’t look away from her. Her hair was damp and still just as curly as it was earlier. She didn’t want to look away either. 

“Yes. I am connected to all of L Corp. I monitor all systems and assist security in both locations. Although I am not actively present inside of the residence unless called upon verbally or activated via a panic button or device.”

“That’s effective. So you have access to the building cameras there and here. Just not within her living space unless she connects you.”

“Correct. Miss Luthor has administrative control over everything I do. She even connected to the system when you arrived and mandated that I not record your presence in any way.”

Kara nodded. “It’s necessary for now.” Why is she nodding? Hope cannot see her. 

Hope spoke again, “Understood. Shall I continue to call you Kara or would you prefer I address you by your family name?”

“I’m...Kara Zor-El. You may address me however you’d like, Hope.” She almost called herself ‘L’ and it made her skin crawl. Interesting. She’s feeling all kinds of things without that damn implant.

“Very well Miss Zor-El. Your food has arrived.” There was a firm knock on the door and the security panel beside the door showed security knocking and the woman holding bags of food and smiling nervously. Kara sat on the couch, out of view from the door.

Lena tied her robe shut to hide the bruising and opened the door with a polite smile, she pulled cash out of her wallet near the door. “Thank you.” She handed the cash to the security guard and accepted the bags from the woman. Once Lena had the bags firmly in her grasp the man handed the money to the woman.

She looked at the bills and gawked. When she counted them she gasped a little, “Ma’am this is way more-”

Lena smiled, “I promised a large tip.”

“But, this is even more than you pro-” She tried again and was trying to hand back some of the money as she spoke.

“Keep it. Thanks again and good night.” Lena closed the door with her foot and it locked automatically.

The security guard smiled at the shocked young woman and guided her back to the elevator. 

Kara hopped up off of the couch and sped to Lena to take the bags from her and place them on the counter. It smelled amazing. If it was anything even slightly similar to what she had at the hospital then she was so very excited to try it. 

Lena laughed and untied her robe as she walked into the kitchen, “Are you excited?”

The alien sniffed at the bags, “Yes! It smells good.” Kara stomach growled on cue. She really had worked up a hunger from being on the island. Lena glanced in the direction of the aliens stomach when she heard it.

“Do you want to go sit at the table? Or stand here and eat?”

“Stand here.” Kara replied simply.

The human laughed louder and started taking everything out of the bags. She explained what the different meals were, the sauces, and opened the containers as she did. She opened the appetizers too. “And these are egg rolls, fried shrimp, and steamed potstickers.” She briefly explained what they were and how they were made.

Kara nodded excitedly, almost drooling at all the smells, “What are you having?” She asked the human as she eyed everything with wide eyes. 

The CEO smiled, “This is all for you.”

The blonde looked away from the food and at the woman standing next to her. She smiled widely. Lena is so kind. She bought all of the food for her! Kara pulled Lena into a big hug but was careful not to press too hard. Her soft human and her bruises. “Lena! Thank you!” She let go of the woman and listened to her laugh. She looked around and Lena handed her a plastic fork. Kara eyed it. It was a slightly bendy version of the metal one she had used at the hospital. She knows how they work, they had similar eating utensils back home. It’s just been so long since she’s used one. She always ate meal bars (or hard bread) or drank her calories...until today. She’d have to be careful not to break the fragile utensil. Kara rolled the fork around in her hand and then used it to take a bite of orange chicken and moaned loudly.

Lena smirked. Yes she wants to feed Kara. Kara should never, ever worry about food again. But, she’s not entirely selfless. Kara put on a little show when she ate at the hospital and Lena wanted to hear all those noises again. She wants to hear them in many different settings. Kara needs this first though. She pushed thoughts aside and greedily observed her. 

Kara moaned (a lot) and happily commented on every meal she ate. When she progressed to the appetizers she had two egg rolls in her mouth and one waiting in her hand. Lena laughed and happily watched her devour them too. She wasn’t sure how the alien managed to eat so fast and not be wearing any of the food or make a mess as she went. Kara swallowed the last bite of the egg rolls. Lena reached for the fried shrimp and showed Kara how to pinch off the tails. So she separated one and then put it back in the container and slid it to her. “Leave the tails and we’ll toss them in the trash. Some people eat the tails...I don’t.”

Kara ate the fried meat and her face lit up the way it does when she tastes something new and she likes it. So far Kara has liked everything that’s made it into her mouth. She picked up the lightly breaded and crispy looking tail and slowly put it in her mouth to find out if she likes them or not. Lena doesn’t, but some humans do. She chewed on it and shrugged. “It has an odd aftertaste.”

The brunette raised her eyebrow at her and watched her use her superspeed to de-tail the rest and quickly eat the meat. She wiped her mouth with a napkin Lena passed her and she reached for the last item, “These are steamed...what did you call them...potstickers?”

“Yes. They’re wrapped dumplings and are cooked with steam. They’re filled with some vegetables and pork.”

Kara nodded. She enjoyed one of the meals that had pork. She knows what the things are and understands the science behind cooking, she has just never had the pleasure of experiencing it on this planet. She stabbed one with her fork and put it in her mouth and chewed. She practically squealed and started hopping up and down lightly, “This is the best thing I’ve EVER had! Why did I eat this last!?!?! Potstickers!” She ate each one at a semi-normal pace so she could really enjoy them and she used the special sauce that came with them and kept moaning with each fresh bite. “Lena! Potstickers! This is the best food on the planet.” Kara shoved the last two in her mouth at the same time. Both dipped in sauce and she sighed heavily after she swallowed them. She grinned ear-to-ear as she looked at the human. She used her speed to put all the containers and trash in the takeout bags and put them in the garbage can.

Lena blinked. One second Kara was grinning at her and the next everything was clean and she heard the garbage can lid closing behind her. She turned and looked at her.

Kara was still grinning as she squinted slightly and scanned the cabinets. She walked over and grabbed a glass from one of them. Lena watched her fill it with water from the sink and drain the glass and then another. “Can I get you anything to drink?” She offered to Lena.

The human shook her head, “No thank you.” She had re-hydrated at the hospital.

The blonde drank a third, then a fourth glass, and then opened the dishwasher and placed it inside. They had these in the Lord Tech lounges and she has tidied those common spaces often to assist the custodians. This reminded her. “Do you have clothes you’d like to wash? I put mine inside the washer, but didn’t want to start a load if you wanted me to add to it first.”

The domesticity of it all was not lost on Lena. She felt her heart race even more. She smiled at the alien and pushed away from the counter with her hip and walked in the direction of her room, “Yes, I’ll grab a load and start it.”

Kara went to the guest bathroom and brushed her teeth again. While the food was pleasant and she didn’t mind the lingering taste, she thought that maybe Lena would find kissing her even more pleasant if her breath was minty again. And Kara certainly wants to do a lot of kissing. She walked out of the bathroom and heard the washer start working and Lena walked out of the laundry room, looked at her, smiled, and went towards the living room. The alien followed after her. 

Lena sat on the couch, “Get comfortable.”

The alien sat down right next to her and kissed her on the cheek, “I am.”

Lena smiled and grabbed the remote. She turned in on to her preferred news network and leaned into Kara, “I’m just checking to see if they have anything to say about fucking Maxwell or my brother real quick.”

Kara wrapped her arm around her shoulders and looked at the TV. Other than the brief mention that the manhunt for Lex was still going on there was nothing alarming in the news. After a few minutes Kara commented that, “It’s weird seeing the news without censors in place.”

Lena shifted as she leaned into the woman and she looked up at her, “He censored almost everything didn’t he?”

“If I reacted to it or thought about it in a way he didn’t approve of it was censored. If it was news he didn’t want me to know about, it was censored. Anything he didn’t want me exposed to was censored. The only music I could listen to was a little bit of classical and only the songs he chose. Everything else was just...blocked. As long as I had that implant and was connected to the Global Network...then he had so much control over what I could see, hear, and experience.”

“No one will ever have control over you again, Kara.” Lena sat up and caressed her face. “I won’t let them.”

Kara smirked, “You already have control over me. I would do anything for you.”

Lena swallowed. She’s been aroused for a while and this wasn’t helping her situation. She’d never want to take advantage of Kara. She’d never want control over her actions. Not in...harmful ways. She doesn’t want her to ever think that or to feel obligated. She knows she cares, but she feels like everything they do should be verbally discussed, especially with everything Kara has been through. “Kara. I don’t control you. You are free to do, say, and go wherever you like.”

Kara leaned in and kissed Lena on her lips. When she pulled away from her lips she placed kisses on Lena’s cheeks and forehead too. “Am I free to keep doing this?”

Lena licked her lips, “As long as it’s what you personally want. You don’t owe me anything. I would never want you to think you have to do something...I know we’ve been kissing...on the aircraft...and in the bathroom…”

The alien smiled gently at her. Lena is such a powerful human and apparently even those have insecurities. She supposed it made sense for her to worry about Kara’s reciprocation after learning about how long she’s been held against her will by humans. But, Kara knows what she wants. Who she wants. She’s always been drawn to this woman and she can remember even more interactions she’s had with her, thoughts she had about her...memories returned to her once the implants tendrils were pulled from her mind. She leaned in and kissed Lena’s neck, then she gently pulled her robe down her shoulders some so she could lightly kiss the bruises on display. She listened to Lena’s breathing and racing heart, “I want you, Lena Luthor. I have for so long. Had I had my freewill when we first met... I wouldn’t have taken long for me to be begging to do exactly this.” Kara gently sucked at one of Lena’s bruises and she gasped and thread her fingers through the hairs at the base of Kara’s neck. Kara whispered and she kissed Lena’s jawline, “On Krypton sexual desire was taboo. Had we met there I would have willingly flung our strict traditions aside for just the chance to be with you.” Kara shifted next to Lena on the couch, the human’s fingers still in her hair, and she pulled Lena into her lap. “It means so much to know that you are worried about me and respect my decisions.” She licked at her neck and sucked at her pulse point. “Lena, I want this. I want you and everything you’re willing to share with me.”

Lena swallowed and looked into her darkened blue eyes and she leaned to kiss the woman gently. As they kissed she held her firmly in place and moved to be able to straddle the blonde. “You’re willing to break your traditions, even now, to be with me?” She nipped at Kara’s lower lip.

The blonde hummed and smiled as Lena bit at her lip and stopped to let the blonde speak, “I already have. Years ago, I was so overwhelmed with my desire for you I tried to please myself with thoughts of you.”

Lena leaned in and kissed Kara roughly. Kara returned the kiss in equal pressure and wrapped her arms around Lena’s torso. Lena’s tongue gained entrance into the alien’s mouth and she moaned into it and was even more receptive than when they were flying back to the city. Granted, they had a lot of witnesses then. 

Kara gripped Lena’s waist with one hand and the other snaked around to get under her robe and her tank top. Her strong, hot hand slipped under Lena’s top and her blunt nails and slightly calloused fingertips pressed and gently scratched along her spine. Lena groaned and continued to lick into Kara’s mouth. Kara didn’t know exactly what she was doing. She didn’t have any experience with another person to draw on, but she had thought a lot about what she wanted to do with Lena and what she thought could be pleasurable. So far the human hasn’t complained about her touches or her kissing, so she feels like she should just let her thoughts take a back seat and do what feels natural. The only things she needed to keep tabs on were Lena’s responses and her own abilities. 

Kara dropped her kisses to Lena’s neck again and lower to suck on her collarbones. Lena whined and was squirming in Kara’s lap. The blonde laughed lightly and separated her mouth from her skin and looked Lena in her face, “Lena.”

Lena looked dazed and horny, “Kara?”

The alien smirked at her, “I want to see you really winded again.”

The CEO thought back to the building where she was getting ready to operate on Kara and she looked up at her and told her, ‘I wondered what you’d look like really winded. I...like it.’ She bit her own lip and bucked her hips down into Kara’s as a response. The alien’s expression went from almost smug to downright sinful at the motion. She stopped stroking at Lena’s back and the strong hand slid under her ass and she held Lena flush to her and gripped firmly at her and ground up into the human’s hip as she had done to her.

Lena felt her own self control totally slip away and she crashed her lips back into Kara’s. As she messily kissed the alien she dropped her pink silk robe to the floor and tugged her shirt off. Kara sighed at the sight over her bare torso and placed hot, wet kisses along Lena’s chest. After a minute of that and of them slowly grinding into one another she pulled off her green shirt and worked to pull her shorts and underwear free from her radiating furnace of a body. Lena smiled and did the same and then she took charge and pushed Kara against the couch. She looked into Kara’s dark eyes, “Do you still want this?”

The blonde smiled a little nervously, “You, I want you.”

Lena licked her lips and gently kissed Kara. She kissed all of her. She licked and nibbled at her too. The harder she bit her the more pleased Kara sounded. These are some perks Lena hadn’t had much time to really think about. She can definitely work with having an alien girlfriend. Lena nuzzled into Kara’s inner thigh and then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Kara’s sex. 

“Lena.” 

She stopped and perched herself up to look at her, “I can do something else.”

“Oh. No. I want that. I’m just worried I may break your couch. I am sure that I can keep from hurting you but, I think if I grab at the couch to channel...well...I’ll break it.”

Lena smiled at her and licked her red, kiss swollen lips, “So break it. I’ll buy a new one.”

Kara blinked owlishly at her and dropped her head against the couch when her mouth dropped instantly to her clit, “Fuck.”

Lena took her time. She explored Kara and paid a lot of attention to her sensitive bundle of nerves. She made Kara come so many times just from licking or sucking and kissing and rubbing with her fingers. Kara was mighty willing to keep taking more. Her endurance overflows into this activity too. Lena is enamored by the possibilities. Kara certainly did rip off the couch arm and there are tears in the material from where her fingers dug in. 

Lena’s back in Kara’s lap and had her hand is working hard on Kara between them. She’s grinding into her to try and relieve some of her own mounting pressure. Their tongues are mingling and Kara slips her own hand between them and touches Lena. The human moans and chases her touch. She pulls Lena’s hands from her own body and lays her back on the couch where she is on top of her and she used one hand to hold Lena’s wrists together and above her head. Lena bites Kara’s lip and sucks at her tongue greedily. 

Kara pulls away and looks into her darkened eyes, “Is this okay?” She gripped at Lena’s wrists being held in her strong hand.

“Yes.” Lena chased after her lips again and Kara easily gave in. She returned to kisses and her free hand groped and pinched at the human’s breasts. Lena started to buck up into her, so her hand left her chest and she slid two fingers between Lena’s slick folds. “Fuck, yes.”

Kara laughed and kept kissing the foul words from her mouth and swallowing her loud noises that worked as wonderful encouragement. Kara worked to mirror some of the pleasure Lena had given her. She was a fast learner. Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and pushed in a bit further down, “I need you inside of me.” 

The blonde let her guide two of her long fingers inside of her and she kissed her and marveled at the feeling of having Lena around her in this way. She did whatever her body reacted the most positively to. The feeling of having her come completely undone was akin to and even better than the feeling of Rao’s light upon her. It was blasphemous to even think that, but Kara did anyway. Kara helped Lena ride out her pleasure, then another and another. She let go of the woman’s wrists finally and they instantly found her scalp. She was pulled into an even fiercer kiss and then Lena smirked at her. Kara was still knuckle deep inside of her, “You’re amazing.”

Lena sucked on Kara’s bottom lip, moved her hands from her scalp to her cheeks, and kissed her like she was the most precious thing on the planet. It made Kara’s chest ache in the best way imaginable. 

Kara sprung out of the bed and was floating above it when she was startled by Lena’s alarm clock. She hadn’t been able to fall asleep...she didn’t know if it was because she was without her implant or because she couldn’t stop thinking about last night with Lena.

Lena sat up quickly, her curly hair bouncing around as she did, and looked up at the PJ clad blonde floating in her room and looking freaked out. “It’s my alarm, Kara.”

“What an awful way to wake up.” Kara grumbled, rubbed at her sensitive ears, and lowered herself to settle back on the bed. 

Lena canceled the loud alarm, “How do you normally wake up?”

Kara hugged the pillow she had been using while she listened to Lena sleep, “Mmm, I had a sleep mode function. I could access it and be asleep within 20 seconds and the wake up cycle was gradual and pleasant. No loud noises at least.”

“Do you miss that?”

“No. I’m just used to that. Before the sleep mode feature I didn’t sleep much and when I did I’d wake up from nightmares. It was ruining my effectiveness. So Lord installed it.”

Lena scooted into the blonde and hugged and nuzzled into her neck. “Did you have any nightmares last night?”

“I didn’t sleep.”

Lena looked at her and then nuzzled again, “You didn’t sleep any?” She frowned.

“No. I require less sleep than a human while I have my abilities...and I was too busy thinking about last night.” Kara laughed as she said the last part.

Lena laughed into her neck, “Are you tired?”

“No.”

“How do you feel, Lena? ...I was thinking...you were going to be sore no matter what this morning and then I started worrying that maybe we should have waited for you to recover from the island before we…”

Lena propped herself up on her elbow, “I regret nothing. I’ll pop a couple of pain relievers.”

Kara frowned at her from the pillow, “I don’t understand. Are they gel capsules? Why would you pop them? They’re meant to me swallowed with food, water, then you should allow for the time released absorption. Releasing the gel prematurely doesn’t isn’t advisable…” Lena looked so fucking amused as she watched her. “...Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Wow, ‘L’, wasn’t entirely an act after all.”

Kara looked equally amused and slightly wounded, “What?!”

Lena sat up and then crawled on top of her, “Lucky for you I was and am still very attracted when you are confused, take things very literally, and then over explain it.” She leaned down, kissed Kara’s cheeks, and climbed out of the bed.

“I...I still don’t understand. Why are you popping the pills?” Kara asked after and floated off the bed to follow.

“It’s an expression. ‘To pop some pills’ or ‘popping pills’, means to take or swallow medicine.”

“Oh.” Kara kinda whined out the word in a low voice as she floated after her. 

Lena glanced behind her and did a double take and laughed at the alien for floating into the kitchen, hot on her heels, “Good morning, Hope.”

“Good morning, Miss Luthor.” The A.I. responded from the speaker in the kitchen ceiling. 

“Will you adapt my alarms anytime Kara is present? When she’s around please change the alarm to something gradual, calm, and at half the volume. If it doesn’t wake me you can do so at your own discretion.”

“Yes, I will change them. Anything else?”

“Message Sam. See if she’s received the clothes and items from Jess and ask after Lockwood and Henshaw. I’d like an update on their status.”

“Okay.”

Lena poured grounds into her coffee pot and added the water. “Kara, do you like coffee? Have you ever had coffee?”

“I’ve never had it.” Her voice was a little quiet. 

The human looked over at her and saw her staring at the couch with a blush. Lena turned the pot on and walked over to Kara. She wrapped her arms around her, “Look what we did.” She whispered into the alien’s ear. Kara practically shivered and turned into the hug and returned it. 

Kara laughed and hugged her, “I’m sorry.”

“No. You didn’t do that. We did.” Lena smiled brightly and kissed her on the lips. 

Kara needed to get dressed and Lena offered her own clothes as opposed to wearing the outfit from yesterday again. She opened her closet door and told her to pick whatever she wanted. She instantly went to a deep red suit with a tie and held it up to Lena. “Will you wear this? You drove me insane the day you wore it to Lord Tech. He assaulted me with messages trying to keep me focused and had to enforce his coding when I wasn’t compliant enough. I’d like to see it without coding fighting me for control. If I recall correctly and I know I do...you look _extra_ delicious in this.”

Lena just blinked at her, processing what she said, and took the suit from her with a small smile on her face, “Extra delicious.”

The alien grinned, “Yeah.” She then turned back around and started looking through her clothes. “Oh, you look amazing in this one too.” She’d find another that she’d recognize. “Ooooo, I remember this one! It made me so horny that Lord blocked the memory when you left that day. I’m so glad to have that one back.” She hung it back up and then pulled out a dark yellow sleeveless romper with a shorts length bottom section. The neckline was a really low cut v. She held it up to Lena, “This is nice. I’ve never seen you in this though.”

Lena looked at the stylish romper, “That was an impulse buy. I decided later that yellow is not my color.”

Kara looked offended, “I’m wearing this.” She walked up to Lena and held the romper up to her to get an idea what the human would look like in it. “This dark yellow would look great on you.” She kissed Lena on her cheek. 

Kara and Lena were in the elevator heading to the floor with their crew. Lena had straightened her hair and wore the deep red suit Kara picked out, tie and all. Kara was next to her tapping her foot and waiting on the elevator to hurry up. She looked like a damn model in the romper. They way it went with her tan skin and light blonde wavy locks and paired with her (now clean) black hiking boots she insisted on wearing and Lena’s black sunglasses resting atop her head. Kara didn’t go for any makeup and she didn’t need it. If she wants to wear it she will.

The alien felt her eyes on her, smiled, and grabbed her hand. 

When the doors opened they walked through and Kara listened for and zeroed in on Alex and Maggie. She kissed Lena’s hand and left her to go talk with them, which several staff and their crew noticed as they wandered about the hospital wing. 

Kara walked into one of the rooms to find Jack sitting on one of the beds with Alex and Cat and Maggie sitting on a small couch across from them. They were all dressed in comfortable looking and stylish active-wear (courtesy of Lena) and laughing at something Alex had said. As Kara walked in Cat froze and Maggie started grinning, “HOT DAMN, Kara! You look good.” She did a whistle, “Oppressed A.I. who!?!” 

The alien smirked and hopped onto the bed to sit between Jack and Alex. Her long legs allowed her to still touch the floor easily with her black boots. 

Alex banged their shoulders together, “Morning, Kara. You do look nice.”

“Morning, everyone and thank you. This was in Lena’s closet. Can you believe she doesn’t think she would look good in this outfit?”

Jack laughed at her and Alex rolled her eyes. “So…” Alex sniffed and looked at Maggie then back at the blonde, “Sooooo…..how was last night?”

Kara just smiled, “Good. How were things here? You and Maggie didn’t ‘freeze your tits off’.” The alien observed. 

Cat burst out laughing and so did the other humans. Neither Cat nor Jack had been present for that little conversation but these two had just filled them in on it and the bet they having going on about who would initiate sex first.

Maggie shook her head and giggled, “No, Kara. How was...last...night?” She wiggled her eyebrows. 

Kara squinted and looked at the human on the couch. She looked at Cat and the others too and her eyebrow rose. 

Alex laughed, “Kara. Did you have a lot of _fun_ with your girlfriend last night?” Lena of course had to walk in just as they’re questioning her. She laughed and leaned against the bed next to Jack. Maggie whistled at her outfit too.

Cat watched them. They were quite the striking couple. 

The alien lit up at the sight of her and then the question clicked. She grinned and looked at Lena then back to Alex and Maggie, “Oh! That’s what you meant.” She laughed. “Fun means sex.”

Maggie giggled, “Yeah.”

Kara nodded, “Yes, we had a lot of fun last night.”

Lena bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. The others didn’t stop themselves.

Alex playfully punched Kara in the shoulder, she moved with it some to keep her from hurting her hand, “Nice! Who initiated it?”

Kara looked at her weirdly, “Why does that matter?”

Cat smiled, “Alex and Maggie have a bet going on.”

Jack laughed between Kara and Lena. Lena shot the two offenders a quick, but weak glare.

Kara looked between Alex and Maggie, they were both on the edge of their seats waiting to hear who just won, then the alien looked at Lena, “I feel like I’ve already said too much.”

Lena smiled at her warmly, “It’s okay. They’re friends.” She licked her lips, sighed, and confessed, “Kara initiated it.”

Alex hopped up and jumped around cheering and dancing badly, “YES! THAT’S MY ALIEN SISTER! DANVERS FOR THE WIN!”

Maggie slouched against the couch and pouted, “Really? Luthor? I was depending on you.”

Lena shrugged. 

Kara bounced a little on the bed to mess with Alex, who is apparently now her ‘alien sister’ as well, and grinned, “Oh! I had Chinese food last night.”

Cat laughed at her. It makes sense to be happy over trying more food. She has so much to experience and catch up on. 

Maggie showed off her signature dimples, “You mean you had Irish food last night.”

Kara frowned, “No. I had Chinese.”

Alex shook her head and agreed with her fiance, “You had Irish too.” She gestured to Lena.

The alien pursed her full lips when she caught on, she had read Lena’s personnel log years ago and was aware that she was adopted from Ireland when she was ten years old, “Have you two been ‘popping pills’?” Then she side-eyed Lena, “Did I use that right?”

Maggie shot back instantly, “No, but Lena _popped_ something didn’t she?!”

Alex stopped giggling and looked at Kara. 

Kara shook her head and looked at her suddenly quiet alien sister beside her, “I don’t get. What did I just miss now?”

Alex shook her head, “Nope.”

Lena and Jack lost it and couldn’t stop laughing and Cat was shaking her head and staring at the ceiling. 

  
  
  
  


Comments?

KUDOS?


	16. Everybody Talks/Signs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plan it. Source it. Vibrate it.

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens

  
  


Rated M. Very M. Most of this chapter is based around a scene MimiTAT lowkey needed to see. I ending up obsessing over it just a little bit and needed to see it too... Didn't go to sleep and here you go!

Lena is sitting in the waiting room, answering work emails, and talking to Hope through her ear piece. 

“I do have something to discuss with you Hope. It’s about what happened with Kara.”

“I’m listening, Miss Luthor.”

Lena replied emails and coordinated a few things with Jess and she filled Hope in on the basics about Kara. She landed on Earth as a child, was experimented on by the military, was sold at an illegal Market to Lord, and was enslaved by him and was controlled by him through an implant. She told her about forcing Kara to pass as an A.I. and about what happened on the island. Lena explained the code that infected the SAR and that her brother was the cause and that the code is incredibly dangerous. She told her about Kara using her powers to destroy all the tech on the island to ensure it could never spread from there. 

“Now, that you are more-or-less caught up...there are some things we need to tend to. We can do it without you, Hope, but you would make the process so much easier and quicker if you are willing to help. What I have in mind is not legal. So...I want you to know you have a choice in the matter.”

Hope didn’t hesitate, “Miss Luthor. I would like to assist you and Miss Zor-El in any way possible. You are my friend and she is yours. I am happy to help with your plan. What are we doing?”

Lena had stopped typing when she responded. “Hope...thank you. Here’s what I was thinking...”

It’s almost lunch time and everyone is in a large meeting room within their private wing of the facility. 

Henshaw and Lockwood are semi-comfortable in wheelchairs and the rest have taken up residence around the room in the chairs or leaning against the walls. Lena had the hospital staff give them more privacy and Kara told them they were too far away to overhear anything, that they were all hovering around the nurses station area and chatting away, trying to figure out what was happening. One nurse questioned the legality of everything and was immediately shut down by Dr. Maseo. He encouraged everyone to just provide medical care and stay out of the specifics that the less they all know for now the better and that they should all trust that Lena Luthor is nothing like the rest of her family. When Kara told her she smiled, “Thank you for sharing. I’m grateful that Dr. Maseo trusts me. I don’t know that any of them will after all of this, but hopefully they’ll understand the ‘why’ once a lot of this becomes public.”

Lena stood at the end of the table with Sam sitting on one side and Henshaw on the other. She went over the plan with them after an in depth talk with Hope.

Lena unbuttoned her blazer and put her hands in her pant pockets, “First off...I’ve spoken with Arias and Henshaw and they have given their support to the plan I’ve formulated with the help of my own personal A.I., Hope. If we move forward it happens in two days. The plan is essentially to weaken Lord Tech security, storm the building, and perform a citizen’s arrest on Maxwell Lord.” Maggie and Alex fist bumped. Meghan joined in. “While the citizen's arrest is legal and enforceable in our state...the way we will be apprehending him is not. We have to do this as a team...he has the resources to weaken Kara. Ideally she could just fly in and grab him, but we know he has measures in place to protect himself from her specifically. So...if you’re uncomfortable with crossing that line then this is your chance to back out. I promise to protect you all legally from any charges be it civil law or military. I have the best lawyers in the country and I believe that any jury faced with the facts would understand why we are taking matters into our own hands. I don’t expect any of us to face any formal charges, but I am prepared if that happens.”

No one took the chance to leave the conversation and Henshaw and Lockwood acknowledged they couldn’t physically help but would be moral support. 

Manchester nodded at Lena and she nodded back for him to speak, “Why can’t we grab ‘em from his home?”

Lena sighed, “That was my first choice. Less security and private, but Hope told me that he’s become paranoid since Kara left and hasn’t communicated with him. He hasn’t left his company building since. She said there has been chatter that he’s been yelling at employees and throwing tantrums.”

Manchester laughed, “It’s not paranoia, if it’s a real concern.”

Kara was leaning against the wall and listening with her strong arms crossed over Lena’s pretty, dark yellow romper. “He should be scared.” 

Lena licked her lips. Who is she kidding? That is Kara’s outfit now. The CEO continued, “Since everyone is on board...Hope will assist Maggie and Winn with weakening the security system. I have the schematics of the building and all the information regarding the number of officers, drones, and his unit Lord Tech security robots. We will shut down all cameras and scramble the bots' feeds and use non-lethal tranquilizers on the officers if they won’t comply and electronic disruptor rounds only for the tech. So absolutely no live ammo. Do not even take any with you just in case. We may need to prove that we were only there to apprehend. So let’s not let his lawyers have anything extra on us. Susan and Meghan will do crowd control, and Cat will handle communication with the police and media when they arrive. We will call it in ourselves and inform the authorities of exactly what we are doing and why. Jack, James, Lucy, and Manchester will be the team to fight security. We will announce to the building what Lord has done. I think a majority of his teams will not fight for him once they hear the allegations.”

They looked excited. Lena waved to Arias to continue for her, she was watching Kara get more and more tense from where she was leaning against the wall. She went to her side and grabbed her hand.

Sam stood and grinned at everyone in the room, “We know that Lord has those synthetic emitters set up and likely those rocks on his physical person. Those emitters are on a separate and private network that can only be accessed from his personal devices and they have biometric security protocols in place. Myself, Alex, Lena, and Kara will go to his office. Turn off and disable anything aimed at Kara. Apprehend him and turn him over to the local authorities. These next couple of days will be used to build our case for the public, to rest, and to source all the equipment we will need while remaining hidden.”

Winn raised his hand high into the air and waved it a little.

Sam lifted her eyebrows at his antics, “Yes Winn?”

“When do we deal with Lex?”

Lena squeezed Kara’s hand and answered, “Whenever he shows up. We will release to the public that my brother sabotaged Lord’s training facility and caused the deaths of the teams assigned there. Cat and Winn were there to investigate the teams at the behest of their worried families. They should go ahead and inform them of the tragic losses and tell them we are actively pursuing all those responsible.” She leaned against the wall next to the alien. “Kara downloaded data from the facility that had all the employee information on it. I’ll get Hope to send it to Winn immediately.” She looked at him, “So you can cross reference the names with what you know and inform the families. If you need help making the calls I will personally assist you.”

Hope chimed in through Lena’s tablet on the conference table. She had kept her active to participate in the conversation if she wanted, “I will assist with calls. The list of employees lost to the island and all emergency contacts are in you inbox Mr. Schott.”

The team talked about the plan and hammered out more details. Kara looked at the door, “Someone is coming this way.” Several seconds later one of the nurses knocked on the door. Susan opened the door and looked at the man, “Yeah?” She asked.

“Sorry, I uh, I need to give Mr. Henshaw and Mr. Lockwood their prescriptions. Also, it’s lunch time and the pizzas Miss Luthor ordered are here.” He peaked in to look at the CEO, “Thank you...for the ones ordered for us.”

Lena smiled at him and dismissed everyone.

Maggie and Alex had just filed out of the conference room with everyone else, except Kara and Lena. Maggie worriedly signed to her fiance. -I’m concerned about how Kara might react to being near Lord again.-

Alex frowned. She was too. -Worried how?-

-That she’ll panic, fold, flee, or accidentally kill him out of anger...you know...lose control of her powers or something awful.-

Danvers swallowed. -I think she’ll struggle...especially since she doesn’t have that coding forcing her to act in certain ways or filtering her emotions...and since she has all of her memories back...but I believe in her. She’ll do what she needs to.-

-I just don’t think she needs to be put through more trauma. But, I get that she needs the closure too. I’m just so worried about her.- 

Cat was watching their conversations and she joined in. Signing a bit clumsily but effectively she added to it. -Kara is stronger than all of us here. She has a good heart. She will have Alex and Lena with her the entire time if she needs a little help around that asshole.-

The marine’s blink at her. -Holy shit! You’ve been watching us sign since the island and you’re just now showing you’ve understood us!- Alex signed at her and was walking backwards and glaring playfully at Cat. Maggie was laughing. Arias was nearby and laughed too.

Cat smiled and shrugged. -You shouldn’t assume people won’t understand. Like Arias. She knows too. She jumped in on the bet over Kara’s decision for a last name.-

Arias laughed more and signed. -That’s right.-

Maggie joined back in. -You have a good point about Kara. Thank you for sharing.- She smiled at the reporter, -How do you know sign language?-

Cat smiled. -When I used to be a war correspondent I befriended a soldier. Soon after he lost his hearing from a bombing. I wanted to support him and it seemed to help his outlook.-

Maggie elbowed Arias. -You?-

Sam smiled. -My Aunt.-

Maggie signed. -I learned for a friend back in school and made Alex learn when we started spending time together.-

Alex scoffed, “You did NOT have to make me. I love signing with you. It’s even more useful now for when,” she signed the rest, -we need to talk about Kara without her hearing!- She smiled.

Cat rolled her eyes, “We could all just exchange numbers and have a group message.”

Maggie laughed and pulled out her phone, “We will do both!”

Alex sniffed at the air as they got closer to the food, “Fuck, that pizza smells so good.”

Kara looks pretty stoic and is thinking about Maxwell Lord and the rage towards him that she feels boiling through her body along with the visceral fear of him. Lena stayed behind in the conference room with Kara. Maggie and the others noticed how her demeanor changed during the meeting. 

Lena placed a hand on Kara’s tense shoulders and she could feel Kara shaking slightly. It made her feel pretty distressed to see Kara this way, but she tried to remain strong for her. She moved closer to her, slowly, and wrapped her arms around the woman, “You’re okay Kara. He can’t control you. We are going to put him away.” Kara slowly hugged her back but wasn’t any less tense. She made a small mental note that Lena’s Irish accent was more noticeable when she’s upset. She hadn’t really thought about Lena even having an accent until the others pointed it out to her. Yes she heard it sometimes but, she just accepted it as one of the many wonderful things about this human. Now she can’t ignore even the tiniest inflection when it slips.

“What if it doesn’t go according to plan?” The alien buried her face and mumbled into Lena’s shoulder.

“Then we’ll adjust the plan as we go. We’ll all be wearing comms. We’ll update each other and adapt.”

“What if this doesn’t work?” She mumbled another question into the deep red blazer.

“It will.” Lena said firmly.

“What if he...captures me again?” She whispered.

“He won’t.”

“...What if he escapes?”

“He will not escape, Kara.”

“How are you so confident?”

“I’m a Luthor.”

Kara pulled away from the hug but grabbed Lena’s hands in hers, “Do you have an answer for everything?”

“Yes.” Lena leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. Kara didn’t kiss her back, but she didn’t move away either. She was still angry and tense, but a tiny-bit less so. She stared intensely into her green eyes and Lena just waited patiently. 

“I’m scared to go back there.” The blonde confessed. She has all this power now and she feels almost defeated by fear and anger over this man.

“You don’t have to go back. I know you said you did, but Kara, you can change your mind. It is okay to stay and wait for the outcome.”

Kara shook her head and broke the eye contact, “I need to do this, Lena. I won’t let him near you without me at your side...I _need_ to do this. I’m just...scared.”

Lena rubbed the back of Kara’s hands with her thumbs gently and waited for her. “I support whatever you decide.”

“I trust you...and your plan...thank you, Lena.” Kara kissed her gently on the lips. Lena kissed her back and walked to open the conference room door.

“I ordered four different pizzas just for you. Come eat them.”

Kara perked up a little more, “Do pizza’s taste anything like Chinese food?”

The alien stepped out of the conference room and then walked alongside the CEO to where everyone else was congregating and eating. 

“They are nothing at all like Chinese food.” Lena smiled at her.

“Really?” Kara was getting excited over trying these pizzas. She can smell them, and they smell great, but she doesn’t want to just leave Lena behind because she wants to eat. She also doesn’t think Lena wants to be carried every time Kara feels like she’s going too slow. She can wait. She likes walking and talking with her favorite human.

Lena nodded, “I got you four large pizzas. They have a soft, thin, bread base and are covered in tomato sauce, cheese, and seasonings. One is a plain cheese pizza, one is a pepperoni pizza, a veggie or vegetable pizza, and the other is a meat lover's pizza.”

“The last one is it to be shared between lovers when they meet?”

Lena laughed loudly and looked delighted, “It is now!”

Kara looked a little confused, but happy that Lena was happy. “What is it really then?”

Lena scrunched her face and grinned, “It is covered in different kinds of meat toppings. Pork, beef, and salami. So, it’s for people who love to eat pizza with a lot of meat on top of it.”

“Oh that makes more sense...vegetable pizzas and meat pizzas.” Kara was nodding.

“I like your version better.” Lena kissed Kara’s cheek as they got closer to the others and the food. “Where did you hear the term ‘lovers’?”

Kara blushed lightly, “The staff are always talking.”

Lena smirked at the blonde, “What else have you learned from them?”

Kara blushed a darker shade of red. She wants to tell her that one of the staff was telling another that she was less stressed today after quality time with her personal vibrator. They talked at length about different kinds and as Maggie would say...it really got Kara’s mental gears turning once she understood the topic. Do humans talk about sex all the time? Does everybody talk about it? It really seems that way. Back on Krypton she would have likely never even known what she was missing out on. Here the humans embrace sexuality like she cannot believe. The only reason she’s even ever been curious is from her own intense fascination with one Lena Luthor.

“Kara?” Lena looked VERY intrigued now. “What did-”

They were right near the area where everyone was eating and talking. Kara took the moment to bail from the conversation and she sniffed at the air, really focusing on the smell of the food now, the other humans noticed her do this, “Rao, that pizza smells so good!”

Lena would let this go for now. But, she really wants to know what has Kara blushing like that and dodging the subject.

Maggie cackled and smacked Alex. “You two are just alike!” Alex frowned and cradled the slice she almost just dropped because of her fiance assaulting her. She smiled at Kara though and then took a big bite from her slice. “See? Alien sisters. Separated by the stars and reunited on death island.”

Kara smiled at Alex and agreed. She then saw four boxes stacked together and her name was on the sides of them in large letters. ‘Kara’s pizza. Do not eat.’ She smiled over at Lena and walked faster to her personal boxes. Lena grabbed a plate and put a slice of vegetable pizza from an already opened box on it for herself and grabbed a plate for Kara. She sat down next to her. She passed her the plate and Kara grabbed a slice and put in on it. Lena told her about the pizza’s as she ate them and Kara made embarrassing noises and easily ate every single slice. As she worked her way through the last one, the meat lovers pizza she offered Lena a slice with a shy smile and Lena didn’t have the heart to turn away Kara’s ‘Meet Lover’s Pizza’. The slices they shared seemed almost holy to the sweet alien beside her. It maybe made Lena blush. Just a little.

After lunch Lena was going over the Lord Tech building schematics _again_. Kara was reclining across several chairs, not far from her in the hospital waiting room and was watching her work. She was a little bored and a lot restless. She had walked all over the wing many times and had spent an hour watching a cooking show with Meghan and Susan. It made Kara want to try every meal and she was so excited over the foods they showed that the two marines were picking on her. James and Lucy had joined in on the last half and were amused at Kara’s commentary on the food too.

Since then she’s walked around and avoided getting close to the staff. She listened to them and she acknowledged that she was apparently _very odd_. She had heard them wonder if she had a wide array of different labels. Only one currently guessed that maybe she was just an alien. He was shot down so quick by the other staff that Kara actually felt bad for the guy. She started to intentionally do things when one of the doctors or nurses could see her. She would put her ear to a wall or just stop and stare at the lights above her and laugh inwardly at their whispered observations of her behavior.

She eventually made her way back to her favorite human and made herself comfortable by reclining along several of the chairs in the waiting room. Lena was fully absorbed in her planning and occasional conversations with Hope that she didn't even notice Kara watching her. 

She looked up at the ceiling and thought about Lena. Eventually her thoughts took a the human path of thinking about sex. In her defense it was because Lena is gorgeous, the suit makes it painfully obvious, AND she remembered about the conversation she overheard earlier between two of the staff and their favorite vibrators. She glanced at Lena and wondered if she had one or many of these little machines. If so, what was her favorite? Did she like a certain kind? Did she have a preferred speed setting like the one woman does? Kara made herself look away from Lena. She felt her eyes getting hot from staring so hard. It wouldn’t do for her to accidentally laser her girlfriend. She tried to think about different things like mechanics and circuitry but her mind wandered back to the previous hot topic instead. Then she got an idea. She felt warm all over as she did. She glanced at Lena and around the waiting room. It was still just the two of them and Lena still wasn’t paying her any attention.

Kara lay down and held up her hand. She stared at her own long fingers and wondered if maybe...maybe she could vibrate them...she gulped and could feel herself blushing. Oh, Rao, she’s being silly. She rested her hand on her stomach. She kept thinking about it though. Theoretically it would work. She can move fast enough that everything around her is still. So she should be able to channel that speed into just certain parts of her body too. Right? She blushed hard. Rao. She glanced at Lena. She’s typing away and working so hard to make sure their plan works in a couple of days and here Kara is trying to figure out if she can vibrate her fingers.

She tapped her fingers against her stomach and then she tapped them faster and faster until they were vibrating and lightly beating against her hard abs beneath the pretty romper. Kara heard a loud laugh from nearby, Maggie’s laugh. She sat up and looked right at the woman. Alex was next to her and turned around and was trying not to laugh out loud. Unlike her fiance.

Lena had heard an odd noise and looked over at Kara to see what it was just as she bolted up from her reclining position. Alex and Maggie were acting weird. She looked back at the bright red, blushing mess of an alien goddess, “Kara? What just happened?”

Kara stood up and strode over to the other two humans and grabbed them by their shoulders and was steering them out of the waiting room. “N-nothing! Be back soon!”

Lena shook her head. If Kara thinks she won’t be getting answers to things she’s actively avoiding then she’s wrong. She will be asking what about this later. If Kara is blushing and running away then Lena just has to know what is going on in that pretty alien head and that is all there is to it. She even stuttered. Lena let it go for now.

Way down the hall. Like waaaaay down the hall, as far away from everyone else as they can get within the building, Kara stopped and crossed her arms and looked at the two aliens she just displaced. “Don’t yo-.”

Maggie started shaking Kara by her shoulders. She let her and the sunglasses still perched on her head and started sliding around a little, “You sweet, sweet, curious little alien. It’s okay to try things.”

“I...don’t know what you’re talking about.” She lied and hoped Maggie would drop it. 

Alex laughed. “Sure and you didn’t drag us out of there to avoid Lena knowing what you were doing.”

Maggie grinned, “Or want her to know what you were thinking about doing to her.”

Kara sighed and stared at them. She was blushing and looking pretty unsure about the entire conversation.

Sawyer sighed, “Fine. I’m sorry.”

Alex looked impressed, “Shit, you got her to apologize for being pervy. Never thought I’d see the day.”

Maggie laughed and Kara still wasn’t amused. 

Alex slowly blew out some air from her cheeks and squinted at her alien sister, “So...you wanna talk about it? Maybe we can help?”

These humans. Kara sighed deeply and sent up a silent prayer to Rao. “Maybe...maybe I could...use _some_ clarification on something I heard earlier.”

Maggie grinned, she had totally guessed it. Even she had overheard a pretty sensual private conversation between the staff when they thought no one else was around and she wondered how many Kara had already heard. She told Alex about the conversation she heard and asked her if she thought Kara heard it too. It was her first thought as Kara moved them from the waiting room to the hallway. “Interesting use of your powers and yes, I think she’d like it. Just ask her first before trying it.”

Kara blinked at Maggie, leaned in, and whispered, “Can you read my mind? Can some humans read minds?”

Alex started laughing pretty hard as the alien panicked a little before being assured that no humans cannot read minds.

The alien calmed down some, “How did you know?”

Maggie looked cocky all of a sudden, “It doesn’t take a detective to figure why you are laying there, blushing, and vibrating your fingers. It just takes a lesbian.”

“Rao. Fine. I just...some of the staff were talking about these things called…” What the stars is a lesbian? She wondered.

Alex coughed and said it as she did, “Vibrators.”

Kara looked at her like she had two heads, “Yes. Those. They were really descriptive and I was bored and started thinking about what they said and then I got the idea. I...you really think Lena will like it? That I should just ask and see?”

Maggie smirked, “Show us.”

Alex looked at Maggie in shock, “Whaaat?!”

The brunette shook her head and patted Alex’s shoulder, “Kara hold up your hand and try again. Show us.”

The alien looked down the hall and listened out for the others. She held up her hand and focused. Her entire hand vibrated and then she separated two fingers out from the others and started vibrating them.

The auburn haired soldier looked away with a blush, “Gaaaaahd.”

Maggie cackled and nodded enthusiastically, “Yeaaaaaah, she’s going to like it a lot. Talk about having some fun.”

Alex slapped her fiance on her arm. Maggie playfully slapped her back.

Cat noticed them as she walked out of one of the break rooms and by the way Maggie was cackling obnoxiously she judged that she didn’t want to know this time. At least not at this very moment. Okay she wants to know. Later. 

Kara climbed into Lena’s town car. As it pulled away from the hospital Kara was looking out the windows again and watching the people. Lena tapped the comms button, “Take a different route today, please.”

“Yes, Miss Luthor.”

Kara bounced around, sunglasses covering her bright blues, and was excited for a different view on the way back to Lena’s place. Lena smiled and watched her take it all in with such interest. She feels a warmth envelope her. It’s something she’s only felt with Kara and a couple of close family members over the years. 

The alien leaned over Lena and pointed at a park with a pond in the center, “Is that a natural pond?”

Lena nodded and rubbed Kara’s back as she leaned across her, “Yes. Did you like the ponds on Krypton?”

Kara nodded her head and moved to look out her own window again, “We only had artificial ones, but I loved them.” She looked up at the roof of the car and Lena slid back the cover so Kara could see through the sunroof. It was one way, so she wasn’t worried about Kara being seen by a camera and alerting Lord. “Wow! I’ve been using my x-ray vision. This is much clearer. I can actually see the sky!” She looked up at the tall buildings and the light blue sky.

At Lena’s building there were reporters and paparazzi out front, probably to try and catch a glimpse of her and ask her about her brother’s escape. 

“Go to my private entrance.” She ordered the driver.

Kara followed Lena into her penthouse and the door locked automatically behind them. She took off her black boots and placed the sunglasses next to the pair Lena just removed from her own face.

Lena smiled at Kara, “Would you like to get comfortable?”

She furrowed her brows, “I am comfortable.”

“I mean would you like to change into more comfortable clothes? Your sleep clothes.”

“Oh, that’s what that means. Still, I feel very comfortable in this...I barely feel the fabric.”

Lena stared at her. “You barely feel it? Your pain tolerance…”

Kara nodded, “My high pain tolerance means I need more pressure to feel. Doctors were particularly interested in that.”

Lena frowned at her and leaned in and placed a gentle kiss. “Did you feel that?”

The alien sighed, “Yes, it’s just very light.” 

The CEO stared at Kara and just kept staring. “How much did you actually feel last night?” She didn’t sound upset, just genuinely wanted to know.

“I...feel more when I’m really focused on touch. Like any of my senses. The more I focus the more heightened they are. Even then my nerve endings are just not as sensitive as humans are.” 

Lena leaned in and kissed Kara harder. She nibbled at her lip and licked into her mouth. She didn’t pull away until she needed some air. Kara was blushing a little, “Did you feel that?”

She nodded, “Yes.”

Lena smiled brightly. Good. That means she felt most everything last night even if she was having a hard time focusing. 

The alien licked her lips and fidgeted with her hands, “Don’t you want to get comfortable?”

Lena leaned in and kissed her cheek, “We could have some _fun_ on the couch for a bit first.”

Fun. Fun on the couch. Yes, Rao, please. “Your broken couch.”

“Yes and the other end of it looked like it still needed to be broken.” Lena grinned at her and Kara grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a deep kiss. This morning she had watched in fascination as Lena put this suit on. She paid attention to every detail right down to how she put on the tie. She tugged the belt off in such a quick movement that it made a snap noise before she dropped it on the floor. Lena let out a little gasp and looked very turned on. Kara was kissing her again and backing Lena slowly towards the decent half of the couch. She un-tucked the dress shirt, unbuttoned and removed the blazer. She kissed Lena’s jaw and sucked at her hot skin. The human was moaning at the action. She removed the tie and undid the top two buttons of her shirt and sucked at her neck and kissed her bruises.

She pulled away from her to look into her green eyes as she pushed her down onto the furniture. She sunk to the floor next to her, unfastened and pulled the pants down. Lena tossed them quickly and almost clumsily unbuttoned the shirt and tossed in on the floor too.

Kara smiled at her and looked at her for a moment just enjoying the sight of her sitting on the couch in her lacy undergarments and looking flushed. She reached up and cupped her face and kissed her forehead and ran her fingers through her silky long dark hair. The human hummed in pleasure and closed her eyes at the contact. Kara removed her fingers and the locks fell back down in an only slightly mussed curtain. She crawled up from the floor and straddled her on top of the couch. Lena looked insanely pleased with the position. 

The alien smiled down at her and kissed her gently. “Earlier today...you asked me what else I had learned from overhearing the staff and then I…”

“Used pizza as an excuse to not talk.” Lena smiled warmly at her.

“Yes.” Kara looked a little nervous.

Lena rubbed her back and applied a nice amount of pressure as she did. While the romper looks great on her, she’d like to get it off of her soon. “I am still curious about that and about what happened in the waiting room that had you blushing and dragging Alex and Maggie away at Mach-1 speed.”

Kara laughed lightly and kissed Lena’s lips gently. Lena pressed in harder. She’s figuring out that she needs to apply the right amount of pressure to help Kara adjust her strength easier and feel more. Kara pulled back and smiled, realizing what Lena did during the kiss. “I definitely drug them away at human speed.” She grinned and continued. “They’re actually both about the same thing…”

Lena stopped rubbing Kara’s back and started tugging at the pretty romper, “Please, get out of this and tell me what happened?” She asked sweetly.

Kara used her speed to take off every single stitch of clothing and appeared right back in the same position straddling Lena. The woman blinked at her naked alien girlfriend and was thrilled. “Okay, two of the staff were talking. One said she was less stressed today after some quality time with her vibrator.”

Lena immediately started laughing. Kara smiled at her and didn’t move. The human leaned up and kissed her on the cheek, “I’m sorry, please, continue.”

The alien looked at her face, her eyes, nose, and her mouth. She focused on the smile still tugging the corner of her lips. She leaned in and kissed the corner of Lena’s mouth. “They were very descriptive and were comparing vibrators and speeds...and when I realized what they...well I started thinking about it later while you were working in the waiting room. I tried not to think about it.”

“What does this have to do with Alex and Maggie? Did you tell them and they were coming to mess with you?” Because that was exactly something they would do.

Kara kissed Lena again and smiled at her. “I started thinking that vibrators are just moving really fast and that I can move so fast that everything almost just stops around me soooo, theoretically I could concentrate that speed to specific parts of my body. I...started tapping my fingers against my stomach and they walked up right as I got them to vibrate.”

Lena’s mouth was open and she was staring very hard at her. “Can you repeat that?” She’s certain she’s heard the explanation incorrectly. That her brain and her clit are _screwing_ with each other and she’s just made up an entire conversation on accident. Because there is just no way that-

Kara held up her hand and started to vibrate the entire thing and then just two fingers. “Maggie said I should ask permission first.”

Lena nodded, “Perma...permission.” She tried to form thoughts and words other than ‘fuck me’. She cleared her throat. “Permission granted, Kara.” She KNEW she heard something that she couldn’t quite place in the waiting room, she had looked up to investigate, and Kara was sitting up and freaking out. God. There is just no way Lena is this lucky. This has to be a fucking dream.

Kara beamed and slowly lowered her hand between them. “Let me know what you think. I’ll start slow and you tell me what you want, please.”

Lena nodded so quickly and pressed up into her, “Yes, yes, yes, try it.”

The alien laughed happily and slid her fingers into Lena’s wet folds, found the spot she responded best to, and started a slow vibration of just her fingers. The humans reaction was immediate and the moan she let out would be in Kara’s mind until the day she died. Lena had never had an orgasm happen that fast in her life. Kara, bless her, she did just as Lena begged her to do. When she begged her to not stop, she didn’t stop, when she ground up into her and begged her to go faster, she did, when she begged for more and more...well. 

“Lena, I-” She had started vibrating her entire hand and grinding into it herself and well, Lena just cannot explain just how amazing _that_ had been. Kara came so hard that she tore apart the back of the couch as she gripped at it with her free hand. Lena kissed her breasts and licked along her neck. 

Kara was panting and she was fixedly looking into Lena’s darkened eyes. The couch made a creaking noise and as it started to break in the frame Kara scooped Lena up so that she was holding her to her. Lena watched the couch collapse to the floor and laughed. She wrapped her legs around Kara and held onto her shoulders. “Want to break one of the chairs too?”

The alien laughed and kissed her. Yes. She certainly did. 

Kara was sleeping in the bed. Lena watched her and smiled. She got up and had Hope cancel her alarm and let the woman sleep a little longer. 

She was waiting for the coffee to finish brewing, “Hope.”

“Yes, Miss Luthor.”

“Order me a replacement couch and living room chair, please. Use my purchase history and pick something similar.” 

“Anything else?”

“Yes, Did you get a list of tech and equipment from Sam?”

“Yes, everything Miss Arias requested has been purchased and delivered to her.”

“Thank you, any changes regarding that sack of shit?”

“He still has not left his company.”

Lena poured herself some coffee and sighed after her first sip. “Thank you, Hope.”

“You’re welcome, Miss Luthor.”

Lena picked up her phone and snapped a picture of the destroyed living room. Memories. Really great fucking memories. 

She took her mug with her to her room, set in on her nightstand and laid down next to Kara. The alien woke up and looked at her. She looked confused for a second and then she buried her face into the mattress. Lena kissed her shoulder and then sat up and started drinking her coffee.

“You have to go to L Corp today.” Kara whispered.

“Yes.”

The alien shifted and was on her side, “I still get to go with you right?” 

“Yes, Hope knows not to record you, my security knows not to ask questions if they see you, and we’ll use my private entrance to avoid paparazzi and my staff.”

“What are paparazzi? It sounds like it should be something to eat.”

Lena laughed and played with Kara’s hair, “It’s a term for photographers who take pictures of people and sell them to media outlets.”

“It’s an odd word. Why not just call them photographers?” English is so weird.

“Photographers capture moments. Moments of people, places, events...it’s much more broad a term. Paparazzi...they only follow people the media want to know about.”

“Paparazzi. Papa...papa...razzi. Paparazzi. Who comes up with these words?”

Lena smiled down at her, “It’s from an old Italian movie. There was a character named Paparazzo and he was a photographer and somewhat intrusive man. I read once that the name was an erroneous use of an old Sicilian word _papataceo_ , it was used to describe a large, annoying mosquito.”

“Do these paparazzi annoy you?”

Lena sipped her coffee and placed it back down, “Yes.”

“Do you want me to chase them away?”

Lena grinned and leaned down and kissed Kara’s cheek, “So sweet. No, it’s okay. Leave the mosquitoes alone.”

Kara laughed and sat up. She scooted close to Lena and yawned.

“How’d you sleep?”

The blonde blinked at her. “I slept okay, but I dreamt I was in my private quarters at Lord Tech. Nothing bad happened, but it felt...like things were back the way they were...when I woke up to you I was a little disoriented.”

Lena grabbed her hand. “You’re safe.”

She nodded and squeezed the human’s hand, “I know. Thank you.”

At L Corp they had driven right by the entrance and Lena was right. There were mosquitoes everywhere. Her driver took them to her private entrance and elevator she only used when she didn’t want to see other people. The elevator goes directly to her private lab and that leads to a hidden entrance to her office. Kara was eyeing Lena’s lab with peak interest and it made the CEO swell with pride both over her own work and over Kara in general. She watched the alien examine dismantled tech. She was in a dark blue dress. It was short, sleeveless, and had a semi-modest swooping neckline. The dress was a little tighter on Kara than on Lena when she wore it. But the neckline was more modest on Kara’s body. They both figured out that most of Lena’s clothes that fit her the best should be loose fitting and mostly sleeveless for her defined arms. Okay, maybe Lena just wants her so show off her arms. Kara is not complaining. 

Just like yesterday Kara handed Lena an outfit that she wanted to see her in. It was a nice, well fitted black dress with a slit up the side. Kara said she remembered the day she wore it to Lord Tech. Lena happily put it on. The look the alien gave her when she did made it more than worth it.

Kara looked up and down one of Lena’s whiteboards. She was going over the equations in her head and Lena watched her. She knew Kara was brilliant, but she had always thought of her as an advanced computer. 

“May I?” Kara asked and pointed at one of the markers.

Lena nodded and watched her thoughtfully. “Please.”

Kara picked up the marker and finished the equation that has been eluding the Luthor for six months. She stepped closer and did the math over and over. “Kara...you...solved it.”

The alien put the marker down and smiled. “You were close.” 

Lena was astonished, “I already knew you were amazing. Why are you showing off?” She joked and then looked over the equation again. “Remarkable. Kara, do you know what you’ve just done?”

“No, what project is this?” 

“I’ve been trying to figure out...how Lord made you look so human. Now I know he’s a goddamn liar, but before...I wanted to figure it out for myself. This is the equation I needed to finish, to be able to produce synthetic skin. I wanted to apply it to Praxis one day.”

Kara looked back at the board. Lena had started this because of her? “I still don’t know anything about the Praxis project you’re working on with Dr. Mackie.”

“Praxis is very advanced prosthesis. Lord said you and your tech were off limits and he wasn’t putting your tech out there for others to steal, so we’d have to figure it out a different way. That ass. It’s a robotic prosthetic we can surgically attach. The person has a full range of motion and even feeling in it if they want. Now with you finishing this we can make them _look_ like their original limbs too. Henshaw and Vasquez will be very interested in Praxis.”

Kara grinned at Lena and picked her up in a hug and kissed her cheek. The CEO just laughed and let herself be spun around a couple of times by the happy alien.

In her office Lena was almost done for the day. Kara sped off through the hidden door to her lab anytime Jess or another employee needed to come into her office. The alien seemed content to sit on her couch and read on the tablet Lena handed her. She gave her access to the network and told her she had an extensive book library available on it.

Hope told Lena that everything was set up and ready for apprehending Lord tomorrow.

Kara and Lena smiled at one another. The blonde is still scared but she’ll have Alex and Lena with her tomorrow and she can do anything with them helping her. That plus the team of soldiers that promise to have her back. 

Jess is highly suspicious. She doesn’t know why Arias is hiding out in a hospital and protecting someone else but it’s all hush-hush. It’s just that her boss is too damn happy. That is the main reason she’s suspicious. Like, in general she is just too fucking happy for even a good day. But, for her to possibly have someone in the hospital _and_ be acting this way. She stops typing at her computer and stares hard at Lena’s closed office door. She’s delivered several packages to Arias. She has no idea what was in any of them just where she was supposed to take them. Is Lex Luthor in the hospital? She shakes her head. No way is Lena taking care of that ass hole and happy about it. Unless...is she ‘taking care of him’??? She stares at the office door again. A concerned expression across her pretty face. No. No way. Lena would just have him thrown back in prison unless she kills him self defense. She wouldn’t just keep him in a hospital and...she rid herself of the thoughts and reminded herself to trust her boss. 

  
  
  


Thanks again MimiTat. Thank you everyone following ‘Kill Command’ and commenting along the way. Very motivating! 

Comment?

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Take care out there.


	17. She Likes Smash Therapy

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

  
  


Cat and Winn had sacrificed considerable amounts of sleep the last few days in order to piece together evidence of what happened on the island. They put together clips of the carnage there and clips of the torture ‘L’ endured from the implant illegally put inside of her head. Cat wrote two articles. One about the horrific happenings at a Lord Tech facility and the lives lost there. She included the quotes from the confession video by the currently unreleased name of the manager bribed by Lex Luthor to sabotage the tech. The other article is about Maxwell Lord illegally buying an alien woman and forcing her into slavery for the seven years. She went into as much detail as Kara was willing to reveal to the public. She goes by ‘L’ in the article and the clips they’re going to be sharing with the public show her with her hair up and her eyes glowing. 

They will release the articles electronically to the Tribune and the footage with links to the articles to all major news networks as they storm Lord Tech. Cat is to call the Chief of Police to have her present, announce to the building why they are present, and to help mitigate police involvement in their apprehension of Lord.

Winn and Cat will be the only ones in civilian clothes but they will also be wearing protective vests provided by Lena. She has demanded everyone wear a vest just in case and even Kara is strapping one on.

Lena dismissed the medical personnel from the wing until they leave as everyone suited up. She called into work just five minutes ago and Jess was instructed to just stay home today and watch the news. Henshaw and Lockwood gave them more ideas on tactics to use if they skirmish with security. The teams happily take the suggestions. Lockwood gave Arias some smoke grenades he had left over from the island.

Kara is wearing the same black tactical pants as everyone else. She opted for a black tank top underneath instead of a long sleeve shirt. She’s strapping on the protective vest over the tank and Lena is watching her as she’s fastening her own vest. Kara then pulls her hair up in a messy ponytail like she had on the island and Arias passes her some contact lenses. 

“Do I really have to wear these?” She asked as she accepted the small case with a Lord Tech logo on it.

Sam nodded at her and tapped the box, “Yeah, the employees have only ever seen you as tech and the clips Cat and Winn are releasing to the public have you with lenses in your eyes. If you want to protect your identity then put them in. We are all going to be wearing lenses. Hope can help us navigate better with them on.”

Kara frowned and put the contacts in. As she blinked to center them and turn them on Arias pat her on the shoulder, “What happened to the old pair anyway?”

“I flicked them into a wall.” The alien grumbled.

“Of course you did. You like that smash therapy don’t you?”

Kara waited for the new pair of lenses to turn on, update, and sync to Hope and Lena’s tech. “What is smash therapy?” 

Sam smiled, “It’s when you channel your emotions into breaking items instead of hurting others or yourself. Like what you did on the island.”

The contacts finished loading and the bright blue glow reminded her of her oppression, “I had to destroy the tech on the island to prevent the spread of code later.”

“Sure. But, did you have to burn the entire city section? Did you have to laser every building or flick your contacts into a wall?”

“I suppose I did not.” Kara considered what she was saying. 

“I suggest that if you start to have a hard time controlling yourself around Lord or anyone that angers you, that instead of doing something you’re likely to regret later...do some serious smash therapy instead. You have every right to be angry, Kara, but you have a lot of power and you cannot afford to completely lose control of your emotions.”

Kara’s brows furrowed and she frowned. Sam sighed and put in her own pair of contacts. She then put on a full face helmet to protect her identity. The other soldiers did too. Through the darkened visors you could still see the glowing blue eyes of each of Lena’s protection detail and of every marine. Everyone had communication earpieces in their ears too and Hope synced everything up.

Lena, Kara, and Cat were the only ones involved that chose not to wear the helmets to cover their faces.

Maggie and Winn double checked their gear bags again and followed everyone to the large plain black military transport vehicle outside. They climbed in and Jack shifted into gear and headed towards the Lord Tech building. 

Kara was trying to steady her breathing. Lena grabbed her hand and she looked into her favorite human’s now glowing eyes. Somehow it made Kara feel better about wearing them since everyone else was too, part of her wondered if that was why they were really wearing them. She had heard Henshaw suggest everyone wear them when Cat said Kara may be upset over wearing the contacts again. She scanned Lena and read her basic stats and smiled, “Thank you.”

Lena squeezed her hand, “Any time.”

Kara blinked and tried to focus on Lena’s heartbeat, but as Lena’s heartbeat faded to the back of her mind her anxiety was growing and she was thinking back to when Lord bought her and took her to his lab the first time.

_Kara was curled up in the corner of her cell. The space isn’t bigger than a twin size bed. A bed. Something she doesn’t even have here. She barely recalls the last time she was able to sleep in one. But, she blames that on the fuzziness of her brain and the pain from the constant exposure to that green rock. They use it here even more than the military facility had. At least with them they would keep it far enough away from her to weaken her but not constantly hurting her. Here? They don’t care at all. She can’t believe she misses being held captive by a different group of humans._

_She’s trying to think back to the beautiful spires of Argo City and of the warmth from Rao’s light when her cell door is opened and someone grabs her by her hair and drags her down the hall. Green rock firmly in their other hand. She’s tossed into a bathroom, roughly stripped down bare, and hosed down with cold water. Then she’s passed to a woman who combs and fixes her hair into a simple braid. The sunlight shining into the room does nothing to energize her as the rock glows nearby. She feels like she would wretch if there was food in her stomach._

_The woman dresses her in simple undergarments, black shorts and a gray shirt._

_She’s led away to a room where a man in a nice blue suit is standing there and smiling. She feels lightheaded and woozy, but all she can focus on is the sadistic, nasty, smirk on his face._

_He talks with the man that has owned her for four years now. They must have come to some form of arrangement. She wonders if he’s renting her for experiments like the others had. But when she’s not led to one of the operating rooms she can feel it in her bones that she’s just been bought again. Kara Zor-El, head of her house and she’s been bought as a slave._

_She’s kept in the back of a van and surrounded by well armed men. Some of those men escort her into a building and then down into the depths; she fears this is the end of her life. She can’t imagine what this man must want to do to her or how much currency he must have come up with to buy her. She had heard so many humans complain about how expensive she was. They’d often fuss to her like it was her own fault that she cost so much. Then if that wasn’t enough of an insult already, they’d tell her how strict her owner was and that for the price they should be allowed to do anything they wanted to her during their time slots. One man had tried to be intimate with her and thankfully her owner had been observing them and pulled the man away from her. He bashed his skull right in front of her. She was freed from her restraints and thrown back into her cell right after._

_Her new owner’s lab is blindingly white and there is a large glass walled containment cell in the middle of it. It’s huge with a bed, bathroom, shower, desk with a chair in it. She tossed inside and the armed men left the lab. The walls are lined with trace amounts of the rock and when she gets close to the walls she feels weaker but if she sits or lays on the bed it’s more like the amount of exposure she was used to back with the military._

_“I’m Maxwell Lord.”_

_Kara watched him and stubbornly refused to speak._

_“You are ‘L’ from now on. We are going to get along just fine L. You’ll see.” He smirked the way he had back when they met and left the lab. The lights turned off all around her and all that lit up the space was the low glow of the trace amounts of rocks within the glass walls of her cell._

_“Rao, save me.” She layed down on her back and tried to recall her mother’s face. Her hand traced up to her neck where her mother’s necklace should have been. She turned to her side and cried in the darkness._

Lena’s heartbeat sounded louder in her head and she hadn’t realized that the woman was caressing her face and wiping away tears until well after apparently. She blinked and looked at Lena. “I’m sorry.”

The human wiped away more of her tears, “You have nothing to be sorry about. Do you remember what I said? About having a choice? You don’t have to go back in there, Kara.”

Kara shook her head and gripped Lena’s hands. Fully aware everyone was watching them, “I have to face him. If I don’t I’ll always be afraid of him.” She leaned in and kissed Lena firmly on her lips.

The truck came to a stop. Winn used his tablet to release the articles to the Tribune and the video segments to all media outlets. Then Hope patched Cat into the public address system of Lord Tech to make an announcement to anyone present. 

Cat grinned, “Good morning everyone. If you are listening to this then you have the unpleasant experience of working for, with, or around Maxwell Ashley Lord. For this I apologize. But, rejoice. Circumstances have come to light and it is now a known fact that he has illegally purchased and enslaved an alien for the past seven years. You may know her as his ‘A.I.’ assistant, L. She is not an A.I. simply a woman that has been experimented on and forced into servitude. Maxwell surgically installed an implant to control and filter her thoughts. He censored her experiences. He temporarily deleted memories. He installed the implant to shock her if she betrayed him and rigged it to explode should the implant ultimately fail in controlling her.” Everyone was filing out of the truck and making their way to the building. Cat stayed outside and is still talking over the building announcement systems, even the speakers outside into the plaza are broadcasting her voice around the block as onlookers are clearly alarmed and the few people that were still heading into their morning shift at Lord Tech were decidedly not going into the building today. “This is the ugly truth about the CEO of Lord Tech. He is scum and we are here to perform a citizen's arrest on him. Don’t worry! Everyone, except Maxwell Ashley Lord, is free to leave and the local authorities have already been called. We called them ourselves and they have already received the proof of his crimes. We just want to arrest him personally.” Susan and Meghan prop all the exit doors open and start waving people out of the lobby. Cat kept speaking. “Please do not get in our way. If you do, note that we are armed with non-lethal ammunition and you will be tranquilized if you intentionally interfere. Now, please, exit the building in a calm and orderly fashion. The Lobby doors are already propped open for your safety and convenience.” Cat ended the cheeky broadcast and watched the teams start their mission. She really hoped this all went well. She tapped on her tablet and saw that news stations were broadcasting her stories about Lex sabotaging Maxwell’s training facility and about Maxwell owning a slave and some were showing the live coverage of Lord Tech already. A news helicopter flew overhead and the cavalry was arriving along with the media. She lifted her hands in the air and the chief of police strode directly to her with a frown on her face. 

Maggie and Winn snuck past a few guards that were busy listening to the announcement and panicking and then when they made it to the security suite there were three guards inside. Maggie flashed her dimples at them, “You heard the lady, you get the chance to just leave.” One man took off his badge and walked out and the other two went to pull their pistols. Maggie shot them both with tranquilizer darts so fast that they didn’t have the chance to fire.

Winn whistled, “Huzzah! Nice shooting!”

Maggie grinned and they started hooking up their tech and syncing Hope to the systems for better control over the situation here. 

Kara walked through the building an instantly felt ‘human’. She knew Lord would have building-wide emitters in place in case he needed them one day. He’s a paranoid human, but his preparations still will not be enough to protect him. Lena said that the emitters are controlled from his office and have tough biometric security in place. “Emitters are on.” She said to her group and over the comms. People are leaving the building, some security included, and James, Lucy, Jack, and Manchester are setting up defensive points to deal with the bulk of security. 

Kara, Lena, Alex, and Sam take the elevator to Lord’s office. Hope had to hack into the security to unlock the elevator and give them access. She spoke over their comms, “Elevators unlocked. Access granted. Drones incoming to the main floor soon and security guards mobilizing on the main and executive floors.”

Alex cracked her knuckles and adjusted her helmet a little bit, her glowing contacts visible through the dark visor, “Let’s party.”

Sam laughed, “I’ve got the confetti.” She held up smoke screen grenades from Ben. The elevator dinged and she tossed them at the team of men that were still willing to defend their boss. 

In the Lobby, Lucy shot a tranq at the first visible guard on the main floor and he skid onto the marble floor face first and was already drooling. She laughed, “I didn’t realize I would like shooting darts at people so much!”

James laughed, “I did!”

A few civilians came running from the stairwell hallway and looked panicked they went past the armored team though and were guided out the still open doors by Susan and Meghan. More security came running in and were weapons hot the second they came around the corner. They took cover and returned fire when they knew their darts were hit. It was almost too easy. Still, no one commented or wanted to chance jinxing it because they knew more was still to come. Drones were active but they hadn’t spotted any.

Hope came over the comms again. “Drones are inbound with robotic security mechs. I have scrambled their scanners but only Lord can manually disarm them.”

Drones started flying in and shooting at the team and they switched to disruptor rounds and held their ground even as the human sized security mechs began to march in. 

Alex and Sam used the smokescreen and their fancy helmets to be able to see through it and disarm and incapacitate the team of guards that had attempted to greet them from the elevators. They approached Lord’s office doors. Kara looked over and saw an employee hiding under her desk across the hall. She walked over and peaked at the woman.

“L? I-is it true? Did he really do that to you?” She was crying and too afraid to move.

Kara held out her hand and smiled at the woman, “Hello, Morgan. Yes, it’s true. You should leave the building. The elevator is safe for you to use and I’ll let my friends know you’re coming.”

She took her hand and grabbed her purse from the desk drawer, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I really didn’t. I thought you were...just his weird assistant. Not someone being controlled and forced to serve him. Please forgive me for not seeing it. For not seeing how much pain you were in.” 

Kara squeezed the woman’s shoulders and guided her to the elevator. “I forgive you.” She pressed the button and watched the woman cry more as the doors closed. “Hope, watch after her and make sure they get her out safely.”

“I will.” The A.I. replied.

Kara walked back to Lord’s door and of course it’s locked.

Cat was standing beside the chief of police and was ignoring the multitude of reporters trying to get her attention. The woman in uniform next to her, Chief Marsdin did not look pleased but for now was allowing everything to happen. The evidence is overwhelming and on the way over she was told about the island incident that happened because of one man’s hubris and another's greed. Or perhaps they were both guilty of each of those sins. She was called by the Governor to allow the citizen’s arrest to be done and they’ll handle everything else later when it’s less public. 

Hope came over the comms again and a woman was being guided out of the building by Susan. The woman was crying and clutching her purse. “There are no more civilians present within the building, except for our own team members.”

An officer accepted her and as she was making her way to the police barricade Chief Marsdin waved her over. “Ma’am, did anyone try and hurt you?”

She shook her head, “No, no, I’m fine. She...the woman he enslaved...she found me hiding and helped me to the elevator.”

Marsdin had the officer take her to an EMT just in case and she watched the building with more interest.

Hope sent information to Lena’s tablet to let her know where Lord has emitters and where he had pieces of the rocks installed too. She tapped away and showed it to Kara. She scanned the data and Hope added it to her contact lenses too. 

Alex and Sam started kicking at Maxwell’s office doors but they aren't budging. Sam smiled brightly, “Good thing I packed this baby.” She removed her large bag from her back and pulled out a portable hydraulic breaching ram and started setting it up. Once she activated it, it started denting the enforced office door. “This will only take a couple minutes.”

Kara crossed her arms and waited.

Maxwell was freaking out. He heard the announcement and was just in shock. He knew. He KNEW they’d come for him! But this publicly?! An announcement for all to hear, stories on the news, and the media outside watching?! He had not fucking expected this. He thought Kara and a human or two might survive and want revenge. But this?! The fuck is happening?! Bits and pieces make it through the damaged speakers of his smashed TV hanging loosely on the wall. He had thrown an accent table at it when the first story aired. Lex fucking Luthor sabotaged his island and his pet is loose.

He shed his suit jacket, tossing it over a chair, and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He made his way to his scotch decanter and filled a crystal glass to the top. He chugged the amber liquid until the glass was empty and then he threw it at the wall closest to him. His hair was coming loose from the gel holding his style in place. He may have been staying here the past several days but that didn’t mean his appearance was lacking. He smoothed his style into place and walked around to his desk. He opened a lead box that he kept in his desk and opened it. He smirked at the emerald blade and bullets he kept there. He loaded his pistol, sheathed the blade in a lead hilt, and waited.

Kara watched the battering ram work to slowly breach the door and she readied herself. 

The door creaked and snapped open some. Sam turned off the equipment and her and Alex kicked the door the rest of the way in. Maxwell Lord was standing in the middle of his office with one hand in the air, waving at them, and the other around a crystal glass that he was drinking from. 

“Welcome back L. I guess it wasn’t just a glitch down at Harbinger One huh?” He smirked at her.

Kara walked closer to him and Lena went to his desk and began accessing his security from there with Hope’s help. The alien frowned at him, “My name isn’t L.”

“Of course it is, L.”

Kara glared at him.

Max laughed and greeted the women, “Lena, hello. Good to see you but I’m so sad you’d believe this delusional woman’s lies. Scary women in military garb, hello to you also.”

Kara practically growled at the man, “I am not delusional. I am not a liar.”

He drank the rest of the liquid in his glass, “Please. I have all the paperwork to show that I hired you. Legally, I might add. I have the medical notes that show you have a long list of mental issues and that I’ve been providing you with a schedule, a home, and a job.”

Kara was starting to shake; she was so angry. Hope connected to the speakers of the office with Lena’s permission, “Kara. He is, as Miss Luthor would say, ‘a lying sack of shit’. He is bluffing. Those records do not exist.”

Maxwell looked alarmed and Kara smirked at him. “Thank you Hope.”

Lena accessed what she needed to turn off the synthetic emitters throughout the building, “I need his hand print and ocular scan to completely shut off the emitters.” 

Kara stepped towards to him and he pulled out his gun, “Don’t fucking get closer.” 

“Drop!” Alex shot him in the knee with a disruptor round. Kara, Sam, and Lena dropped to the floor as soon as she yelled. The round electrocuted him briefly and he yelled out in pain and shot his wall and already broken TV when he jerked from the shock.

Kara glared, “How do _you_ like being shocked?”

He groaned, “Feels great. I don’t know why you always complained.”

Sam ran forward to grab him. He fell out of the way and scrambled to Kara. He took aim and fired another shot. It hit her in her protective vest and Sam disarmed him and shoved him into the floor before dragging him to the table so Lena and Hope could turn off the emitters. “It looks like the physical rocks he has installed are only in a small room on a different floor and in one of his large private labs. Everything else is the synthetic emitters.” 

Alex glared through her dark visor, “Those fucking bullets are made of that shit.”

Kara looked down at her vest where there’s pieces of the green rock embedded into the material right over her heart. She choked back bile from the proximity and from the close call. Lena and them have saved her life again. 

The emitters shut off and Kara felt the sun energize her through the windows. She smiled at Lena. 

“Aw, your girlfriend helped you out.” Maxwell prodded when she saw them smiling at one another. “You two always had something inappropriate going on. Did you tell Lena about all the times I punished you for your attraction to her?” Kara turned her attention back to him and her expression darkened. She grabbed him from Sam and held him up by his shirt collar and tie. She used her superspeed to go out to his balcony and dangle him over it.

Cat looked up when she heard people start to be more vocal and point. Maxwell Ashley Lord was being dangled over the ledge of his pretentious balcony like a little rag-doll. Oh Dear. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea for Kara to be a part of the apprehension team after all.

Marsdin sounded pissed, “Was this a part of the plan, Ms. Grant?”

Cat tried to look extra charming, “Everything is fine Chief Marsdin, I assure you.”

Kara tightened her grip and Maxwell was grasping onto her forearms and kicking frantically. She stepped up on the railing and held him out further. “What’s wrong, human? Don’t like the view?”

“Please, L, don’t do this! You know you’ve always been my favorite! You know I care about you! I only ever did what was best for you!” He screamed.

Kara watched him squirm and she ground her teeth as she spoke back to him, “You care about me? You did what was best for me? That’s why you kept me locked up, starved me, experimented on me, punished me, and used me? Because you care?”

“If I hadn't bought you from him, then you would have rotted in that hole. You would have died on an examination table, or been used up by some freak, or even killed in an alien fight ring one day! I saved you from all of that! I gave you a home and a purpose! What better purpose is there than to serve me?!” He asked.

Kara sneered at him, “You are toxic. Fuck you.” She let go and watched him fall. He screamed the whole time and then she jumped off of the balcony and caught him before he descended the last few floors. People were screaming on the ground. As she snatched him up from the air and flew back to the balcony, Maxwell Ashley Lord urinated on himself. She dropped him on the floor of his office and paced the room. She punched what was left of his poor TV, tossed his chairs, and then tossed him onto his own couch. The couch banged into the wall as he landed against the leather cushions.

She walked up to him and when she grabbed him again, pulling him up from the couch, he pulled his knife free from a lead sheath and dug it into Kara’s shoulder. She stumbled back and she blinked down in shock. But, if anything...every moment of her life on this planet had prepared her for pain and so she pushed through the agony and the burn and she pulled the glowing green blade out and tossed it across the room. Her veins stopped glowing green and she smirked at him again. “You can’t defeat me. Even if you did you’re the one going to face a lifetime of confinement now. Hope was instructed to record everything and you confessed. Part of me wants to kill you for what you’ve done to me. For what your creations did on Harbinger One. But, I’m better than my anger. I could use a little more smash therapy though.” She grinned and tossed the urine soaked man to the side and Alex and Sam tied his hands behind his back. All three women looked proud of Kara and she nodded at them and as they exited the office with him all tied up.

Kara completely destroyed what was left of his office and then flew down to his lab that he experimented on her in and she destroyed quite a bit of that too. Sam was right. Kara loves smash therapy. She then grabbed a case on one of the tables and opened it. Shocked to find more of the rocks and more shocked to learn that the case can shield her from the rock’s effects. She grabbed the case and held it to her side. “Hope.”

“Yes, Miss Zor-El?”

“Will you send Lena to my quarters here?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“Miss Zor-El?”

Kara was almost to her private quarters, “Yes, Hope?”

“You did good. I am proud of you.”

Kara smiled up at the nearest security camera knowing Hope and likely Maggie and Winn were watching her and accessed her security panel, “Thank you, Hope.”

Lena knocked on Kara’s door and she opened it instantly. She didn’t say anything as she backed into the room. She slowly walked to a duffel bag and was putting items inside.

Lena looked around the space. It was a large room with a small bed. There was a small closet with Lord Tech suits and outfits hanging up. Exercise equipment and a small clear glass refrigerator with water bottles. On top of it was a box of silver packaged meal bars. There was a bathroom with a small shower and vanity, and she had a small desk and chair. The only things that made it Kara’s space were the pictures she’s drawn that she had taped above her desk and beside her bed and she had books everywhere. On a small shelf, under her bed, the top of her closet, on the floor in the corners stacked in towers. Lena leaned down to look at the titles and every single one was educational. Science, mechanical engineering, geology, medicine, physical fitness, meditation, physics, and every kind of math. Lena didn’t see a single novel or historical text book. Lord wouldn’t want her exposed to anything like that.

Kara pointed to a dark metal case on her bed, “I found that in his lab. I think it’s lead. Inside are those rocks. Somehow it shields me from them. I can’t even feel that they are in the room.”

Lena ran her hand across the box and examined it. She didn’t need to open it to examine them and she didn’t want Kara exposed to anything else. 

She looked around and saw a small speaker and she pressed the play button to see what music was loaded onto it. She cycled through and there were only 6 classical piano songs on it. She scoffed and turned it off. She turned and saw Kara open a sketch book and she was slowly removing the pictures from the walls and placing them in the book. Lena reached across the bed and pulled the four off the wall she had there. One of a beach, one of an alien cityscape, one of a woman with no face, and another of a wide expanse of outer space. Lena walked up to Kara and stood next to her at the desk, “Here.” She whispered.

The alien took them with trembling hands and placed them in the sketch book and closed it and put in her bag and zipped it shut. Kara looked at Lena and let the tears fall. Lena wrapped Kara in a warm hug and held her. When the woman calmed down she parted only enough to gently kiss the tears from Kara’s face. Kara looked into Lena’s eyes and leaned in to kiss her. She kissed and begged entrance into Lena’s mouth with her tongue and her favorite human instantly gave her access. She lifted her up and sat her on the desk next to her bag and kissed her deeply, with all of her being.

Eventually Kara was happy to just hug Lena again and the human smoothed her blonde locks and kissed her forehead. 

Kara sighed, “Let’s get out of here.”

Lena licked her lips and smiled at her.

Kara grabbed the lead case and her bag and they walked towards the door. Lena looked at the wrapped bars on the refrigerator again, “Are these the meal bars Cat said are not as palatable as you hoped?” Kara nodded and Lena grabbed one out of curiosity.

Walking through the Lobby Kara was pretty impressed by the amount of passed out security guards, piles of destroyed bots and drones. She smiled to herself when she kicked a drone along her path to the door.

As they were leaving the Lobby, Lena opened the wrapper of the meal bar and took a small bite. She frowned and made herself swallow the atrocious ‘food’. As they got close to Cat and the chief of police, Maxwell was still standing against the police car and she walked right up to him, “Hey Max!” He turned to look at her and she shoved the meal bar in his mouth. “Choke on it, you motherfucker and don’t even bother trying to make bail because I made some calls! You won’t be getting out. Ever.” Camera flashes and footage marked the moment for all of history. He sputtered and gagged and tried to kick at her. The officers put him in the back of a cruiser. 

Kara looked amused and so did most of the people. Chief Marsdin looked flabbergasted by pretty much everything.

Lena walked to Kara and Cat’s side, “I feel a little better now. I wanted to stuff his gaudy tie down his throat but that shit he forced you to eat was a better alternative.”

Kara nodded at her. The rest of the plan involves people not realizing that ‘L’ is close to Lena. “Thank you, Ms. Grant and Miss Luthor. I couldn’t have escaped him and got the closure I need without all of your help. I’m impressed with your team.” She turned to Marsdin. “I want to press charges against the human, Maxwell Lord, but for now I’d like to get away from all of this.”

Marsdin sighed, “Okay, I need a way to get up with you so you can help with legal proceedings.”

“You may contact me through Miss Grant.”

Cat smiled and Kara stepped back and kicked off of the ground and took to the skies much to the crowds delight.

Lena rushed home after answering a few questions from the chief, Cat for the Tribune, and when she opened the door to her penthouse Kara was sprawled out across her living room floor. She was in the large green v-neck tee that Lena’s been letting her wear and her underwear. She had showered and changed.

The brunette kicked off her shoes and hung up her bag beside the door. She walked into the living room and looked down at Kara. Her hair was fanned out around her and still a little damp from her shower. Lena whispered, “Hi.”

Kara smiled up at her and held out her hand. “Hello.” Lena grasped her hand and Kara could feel the woman’s pulse through the flesh there and could hear the steady beat. She guided her favorite human down to the floor and she straddled the blonde. Kara propped herself up and kissed her. She lost herself in the feel of Lena for the rest of the day.

  
  
  
  


Comments?!?!? I live for the comments.

  
  


KUDOS? If you enjoyed it?


	18. Tricks

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens

It’s the middle of the night and Kara is laying in the bed and is wrapped in her favorite human’s arms. Lena kisses her temple and kisses her hairline too.

“Kara,” Lena whispers very lightly in case the alien has finally fallen asleep.

“Yes?” She mumbles into the pillow.

Lena hugged her tightly and Kara relished the feel of skin-to-skin, “Do you remember what you said during your surgery on the island? In your language...I think it was your language.”

Kara faced her and could make out her features even in the dark room thanks to her adept eyesight. “Yes, I remember.” Kara ran her hand down Lena’s arm and spoke her native tongue, “ _Rao, here my prayers. By your warm light, guide us, protect us, and help us in our endeavor.”_ She translated it for Lena after and waited for how she would respond. 

Lena scooted impossibly closer and kissed Kara on her lips, “Thank you for praying for us.”

Kara kissed her back and grinned at her, “We needed it.”

Lena laughed as Kara straddled her, “Again?”

Kara nodded excitedly, “Yes, unless you’re too tired.”

The human scoffed playfully, “Coffee is the only way I’ll be functioning at work tomorrow anyway.”

“Do you _have_ to go in?” Kara rubbed her hands along Lena’s sides and gripped her hips. Even though she was still covered in bruising the woman is gorgeous. Kara fought the urge to pull from her, the urge to worry that she did this, that she couldn’t be gentle enough. Lena told her that she hadn’t caused any except maybe when she threw her out of harm's way. She needs to make herself believe what Lena tells her despite her own fears. 

Lena ran her hands up Kara’s arms and gripped her strong biceps, “I do have to go in and you’re still coming with me. You can even meet Jess.”

Kara massaged Lena’s hips and pressed into her. She’s going anywhere Lena is going at least until her brother is put away again. She didn’t leave with Lena so she’s hoping Lex doesn’t suspect that she’s protecting her. Even if he does...it will not help him any. 

The brunette reached up and cupped her face, “Where are you?”

The alien leaned in and spoke in Kryptonian, “ _I’m here with you._ ” She leaned down and captured Lena’s lips with her own and pressed their unclothed bodies together. Lena felt love pour out of Kara as she took her breath away. Her chest swelled and she hugged her tight as they kissed.

Eventually the blonde sat up, blush on her face, and her eyes dark. “Lena?” It’s a stupid request, she’s sure, but Lena’s told her to ask her anything and Kara can’t get it out of her head now that she’s thought about it.

“Hmmm?”

“Lena, what if I vibrated my fingers...inside of you, but...from behind?” Rao.

Lena sat up quickly, “Yes.”

“Really?” She hadn’t expected her to-

“Yes!” She excitedly repeated. She loves that Kara is so curious.

“Do you want to be on your side? On your stomach?” Kara wasn’t sure what would be most ideal for Lena. They all seemed ideal in Kara’s head right now, but she wants Lena to be comfortable.

Lena flopped onto her stomach and pushed up where she was on her knees with her ass in the air and smiling back at Kara. 

Kara sighed and forced herself to close her mouth after taking in the sight for a second, “Or this works...on your knees with your…” Kara stared very hard at her lovely asset.

“Ass in the air. You can say it.” Lena teased and even shook her asset at her a little as she did.

“I...don’t know if I can say _that_.”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to, but I’d _love_ to hear it.”

Kara licked her lips, “On your knees...with your ass in the air.” OH RAO.

Lena turned her face so she could giggle into her pillow. Kara watched her and waited for the brunette to regain her composure. When she still hadn’t after a bit she reached down between her favorite human’s legs and cupped her sex firmly. Lena stopped laughing abruptly then. The brunette turned her face so she could look over her shoulder and stare at Kara. A blush was creeping up her neck to her face all of a sudden. 

Kara rubbed Lena until she was very wet and that didn’t take long. Then she pressed two fingers inside her entrance. She pushed her own hips flush so two of her fingers were inside Lena and she could use the other two to please herself as she vibrates and rocks them into her. When she starts the motions, the moans Lena let out are downright sinful. Kara almost apologizes to Rao out of compulsion. But, she could never follow through. She could never apologize for doing this with Lena. There’s no way this should be unlawful. Kara speeds up the thrusts and the vibrating. Lena is screaming into the pillow and Kara is speaking in bits and pieces of broken Kryptonian as she comes undone above her, with her. The sight of Lena’s back arching and watching her frantically grab at the sheets and pillows around her as her toes curl is still running through Kara’s head later as she sleeps soundly against her. She eventually focuses on Lena’s heartbeat and is lulled to sleep. 

A gentle alarm started and Kara smiled as she woke up to it. Hope had made the change at Lena’s request so she wouldn’t be startled out of the bed and it was a much nicer experience.

Lena laughs, “Did Kara just wake up with a smile on her face?” She plants a kiss on a tan cheek. Not one of the ones on her face either. Kara scrambles to sit up with a deep blush spreading and Lena is laughing hard like she had last night into the pillow before Kara got her attention. “Good morning, Kara.” She said as she slipped on her light pink silk robe over her bare skin and started walking towards the kitchen.

“Rao.” Kara whispered. She used her speed to take a shower in the guest bathroom and she pulled on one of Lena’s tank tops and a pair of underwear before going into the kitchen. 

  
  


Lena poured herself a mug. “Do you want to try coffee again?”

Kara shook her head. Unless she got the taste from kissing Lena, she just wasn’t interested in coffee yet. It was bitter. But, maybe someday?

“May I have water?”

Lena nodded at her, filled her a glass and handed it to her, “Here you go.”

Kara drained it and looked over at the balcony. It’s a bright sunny morning so she sat her cup on the counter, placed a kiss on Lena’s lips, and went out to relax in the sun.

Lena watched her from the kitchen as she fixed a large 6 egg omelet, two pieces of toast, and a large bowl of fruit for Kara. She put some fruit on a small bowl of yogurt for herself. She piled it all on a tray, with her own coffee, and refilled the water for Kara. Kara peeked at her through the glass when she picked up the tray and she stretched, to Lena’s delight, and then got up and opened the balcony sliding door for her.

Lena sat the tray on the small table and sat down. Kara stretched again, feeling great after laying in the sun for a little while. Lena realized just how radiant Kara was out in the sun with her tan skin showing. Up until now she’s mostly seen Kara inside or covered in dirt. Even when they left the island she was in artificial lighting onboard the helio and in the hospital and they’ve been using covered and private entrances at every location. Yesterday she saw some of her in the sunlight after turning over Maxwell. But she was in all black, arms showing, hair up, and glowing contacts in. Now? She’s glowing in a white tank top and pink underwear with her hair down and happily sniffing her breakfast.

“This is an omelet right? I saw this in a health and fitness book. Made with eggs. What else did you put in it?”

Lena smiled, “I put diced tomatoes, spinach, and cheddar cheese.” Kara hadn’t had spinach before and Lena explained what it was and explained the nutritional value.

Kara smiled lightly at her and took a small bite. Her face lit up even more, even though Lena isn’t sure how she managed to do that. “This is great. Thank you, Lena.”

The human savored each bite of her yogurt and fruit and they finished eating at about the same time. Kara leaned across the table and kissed Lena on the lips and then used her speed to gather everything and clean it all up. The kitchen too and Lena smiled as she walked back inside. She grabbed her watering can and quickly watered her plants. Kara floated nearby and asked their species and how much water they require. Lena answered every question with a smile. When her plants were all good she planted a kiss on the alien floating close to her, “I have to get a shower and get ready.”

Kara watched her go in her pink robe and then floated closer to the plants and examined their leaves before she sped off to Lena’s closet to pick out what she wanted to wear for another day at the office with her favorite human.

Kara finished putting on a pair of black dress shorts and white creme sleeveless top with a collared neck. She buttoned it all the way up and smoothed out the shorts. They were a little tight, but they looked amazing. They felt amazing. She saw a pair of black high heel ankle boots. The heel wasn’t quite as high as the ones Lena tends to favor. Kara cautiously slipped them on. One, Kara and Lena have the same sized feet. Two, how do human’s walk in these? Kara had to float herself a little to keep from falling and breaking a wall. She slowly walked into the hallway and thought of how Lena does a little sway as she walks. Kara tried to copy that and she only almost fell one more time. She focuses her weight on the balls of her feet and if she needs to compensate she defies gravity a little. By the time Lena comes out of the bathroom with her hair straightened Kara is feeling pretty confident in the heels. She’s halfway through a little twirl when Lena spots her in the hallway. 

The human smiled warmly at her, “You look fantastic, Kara.” They need to go shopping so Kara can pick out new clothes for herself.

Kara preened at the attention and went back to the bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched Lena slip into some rather lacy undergarments and step into her closet to pick out an outfit. She walks out with a gray pair of tailored dress pants, and a light blue long sleeve dress, silk shirt. She matched it with some heels and laid them on the bed. She eyed it critically, “This will do, I’m looking forward to the bruising fading though so I don’t have to limit my wardrobe.”

“The public knows about you helping on the island now and that you helped with arresting Lord. Why hide your bruises?”

“I’m not ashamed of them, but I have to radiate strength to the public, my investors, and the board members.”

Kara doesn’t understand but trusts Lena’s words and gently touched the fabric of the silk shirt on the bed next to her. “It’s so soft.”

Lena kissed Kara’s lips and went to the bathroom to do her makeup. Kara ended up following her and letting her apply some eyeliner and lip stain to her own face. She grinned at Kara as the alien looked at them both in awe in the mirror. Lena may have done a little extra to her own makeup just to show off and the look she was getting from Kara was worth it. The alien was still staring at herself when Lena placed a kiss on her cheek and went to put on her clothes. 

  
  


They hopped in the town car and thank god for expensive lip stains that don’t transfer color. Kara was insistent that they couldn’t be _that_ effective and she was happy whether she turned out to be right or wrong. Because either way she spent the entire ride practically in Lena’s lap with her tongue in her mouth. 

  
  


Lena messaged Jess that she was using her private entrance and that she didn’t want to be disturbed today unless it was an absolute emergency. Apparently the board members thought that after she assisted with a literal siege of another tech company to be reason enough for an emergency meeting and probably mad that she just bought it without discussing it. Lord Tech was in a market free fall and Lena bought the majority shares as the stocks dropped the lowest they’ve ever been. She can fix an omelet and buy Lord Tech at the same time. She’s always been a great multitasker. It’s why she’s able to juggle being a CEO and working on so many projects personally.

Lena uploaded several more books to the tablet Kara was using and told her to talk to Hope or Jess if she needed anything. Kara didn’t look happy that Lena was going to another room without her. 

“Kara, I’ll be just down the hall and you can get to me easily if something happens. Okay?”

“They’re angry with you because of me.” Kara was worried.

“They’re angry because I helped publicly take down the CEO of another tech company. It’s not your fault he’s a bastard.” Lena kissed the crinkle between her eyebrows. “I told Jess that you're my girlfriend and we’ve been dating a few weeks and have been friends for years. I only told her your first name and that we just didn’t get the chance to really be _close_ until you moved here and that you’re currently between jobs. She...said that she noticed I was weirdly happy lately and now she knows why.” Lena grinned and went to her meeting. 

  
  


Kara’s not entirely sure what ‘girlfriend’ even means to the humans but she’s referred to Lena as such with Alex and Maggie and the others and she’s mentally tried the word over and over in her head. She should investigate to make sure she’s being a proper girlfriend and is meeting or exceeding human standards. Lena is happy, so whatever she’s doing is working so far. Does girlfriend mean anything close to Kryptonian courting? Or is that more engagement territory like Alex and Maggie? If so, how do humans get to that point? When do they exchange vows? When do they present each other with bracelets? Or the human equivalent? Or is girlfriend more of a casual thing? Are they casual? From what she understands...casual is relaxed, temporary, and informal. Kara doesn’t have any casual feelings for Lena. Rao. She abandoned the thoughts for now. 

  
  


Kara had finished several books and poked around in Lena’s personal lab and talked with Hope as she read over notes. Hope told her that she’s made notations of their conversations but that she believes Miss Luthor would like to hear all of the observations she made personally.

Now Kara is pacing Lena’s office and trying to focus on a book about earth plant species on the tablet in her hands. But, she keeps listening in on Lena’s meeting and those board members are just rude. Kara would like nothing more than to fly in there and dare them to repeat themselves with her present. Just then there is a light knock on the door. Kara snaps out of her angry listening mode and walks over to open it after x-raying the door and seeing Lena's assistant.

Jess smiles and composes herself. This is Miss Luthor’s girlfriend of a few weeks and friend for years. She shouldn’t be surprised by how beautiful she is, but she is anyway. She is the reason Lena has been so happy! She focuses on being polite, respectful, and above all else, helpful should she require anything.

The human smiles at her and Kara moves aside to allow her to come into the office if she wants to. She does. Kara appraises her outfit. Rao, she loves human clothes. She looks professional and beautiful in her white turtleneck ribbed sweater and dress skirt with stylish heels. She would like to try on a skirt of similar design. Would Lena like it too? 

Jess notices her eyes lingering on her and she swallows nervously. Please don’t be a creep. Miss Luthor seems to _really_ like her. She’s been longing for someone and she’s sure it’s this woman. She must be the one that had Lena laughing and lighting up every time she’d receive a message from her. She holds out her hand politely despite her brief moment of concern, “Hello, I’m Jess Hoang, Miss Luthor’s assistant. She said you’ll be spending a few days shadowing her here at L Corp.”

Kara smiled as she carefully shook the woman’s hand. In the back of her mind her own soft broken voice whispered, ‘I am L’, but Kara thought about Alex and Maggie offering her the human surname of Danvers. That she was family. She smiled and proudly introduced herself as such, “Yes. I am Kara Danvers.” She grinned even brighter at the feeling of saying it out loud. “It’s nice to finally meet the famous Jess. Lena said she can’t do anything around here without you helping her through her day. Thank you very much, for taking care of her.”

Jess grinned, feeling less nervous over the seemingly genuine smile and compliment from the woman, “Oh...that’s so kind of you to say Miss Danvers.”

Kara retrieved her hand, worried that maybe she shook for too long, but she is so happy to finally meet Jess AND she called her by her new human name! But, maybe the human would be more comfortable around her if she suggests a less formal option? “You can call me Kara if you prefer...I mean...whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Jess felt bad for worrying about the woman’s motives. She’s so sweet and she’s nervous about meeting her? How come? Why on earth would _this_ model or whatever profession she’s taking a break from, why would she be nervous around her? “Kara...call me Jess then. May I ask you a question?”

Kara nodded and followed Jess to the couch. She sat an arms length away and watched the human curiously. 

“Why are you...nervous?” Jess tried to do it as politely as she could.

The alien furrowed her brows, “Oh. I’m not doing this right. Am I? I apologize.”

Jess held up her hand to placate her and smiled sweetly, “You haven’t messed anything up or done anything wrong.”

Kara looked around, clearly confused. She was sure she had definitely not made any messes. How rude would that be to make a mess in another's home or office and not clean it? She was raised to keep a tidy place as a child and with the exception of an overflow of books in her personal quarters at Lord Tech, well she was very tidy. 

Jess could tell she was confused and then it just clicked. Maybe it was the nice, tan, and toned arms in the sleeveless shirt, or the pretty long wavy blonde hair, but...was she....Oh no. She’s nervous, clearly confused by Jess’s choice of words, and they have known each other for years and only recently been able to get close. Lena has been doing work with Dr. Mackie at Lord Tech for years. Put some glowing contacts and put up her hair...is this the woman Lena saved? She’s the woman that was enslaved by Lord? She’s an alien and she’s confused about their interaction? If so then, oh no, she didn’t mean to offend her! Certainly not! But before she could backpedal and change the subject-

“Please forgive me. I am...nervous, because I know how much you mean to Lena. I want to make a good impression and show you that I care for her.” Kara grinned, dimples and all, “She’s my favorite...person.”

Jess felt a swell in her own chest and couldn’t help but let out a gushing, “Aaaaawwwww!!!” She reached out and gently squeezed Kara’s wrist. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve...oh wow.” She let go of her wrist and smiled. “Kara, what would you like me to order us for lunch? You pick and I’ll find something on the menu Lena will like.”

Kara’s eyes lit up. “Really?” Does this mean the human likes her and approves of her being Lena’s girlfriend?

“Yes. Lena said to order food if the meeting ran long. She said to get as much as you wanted.” Which makes more sense if she really is an alien with a big appetite and not a model.

“Will you please help me choose? I’m not from here.” Kara gave Jess a puppy-esque look and the woman almost gushed again. No she’s not from here at all is she? She knows the perfect comfort food to introduce the alien to. 

  
  


That’s how Lena found them. Sitting at her couch with a massive spread of Big Belly Burger in front of them and Kara shoving a truly impressive amount of fries in her mouth as Jess laughed at her antics. 

“What a sight.” Lena commented with a smile as Kara started chewing frantically and wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“Hi, Lena.” Kara smiled and simply greeted.

Lena shot her a coy smile and Jess held up her meal bag and pushed her strawberry shake towards her. “I haven’t had this in almost a year. Why has it been so long?” She shot Jess an almost accusatory look but lined it with a playful smile. 

Jess wasn’t used to Lena being like this. She was always a respectful boss and kind if treated the same way, but joking and smiling so openly? Wow. Kara Danvers, keep doing whatever you’re doing. “I believe you said you needed to eat healthy.”

Kara laughed at that and sipped at her shake, “Lena, I had a strawberry, a vanilla, and now a chocolate shake.”

Lena bit at one of her fries and smirked at Kara, “Not everyone has your wonderful metabolism, Kara.” She was smiling with her eyes as she sipped her own shake. If Jess hadn’t already figured out that Kara was an alien _before_ they ate, well she likely figured it out by now. She knows Jess is trustworthy, it’s why she’s been employed for so long. Reliable and trustworthy. 

  
  


Lena has her driver take her to Alex and Maggie’s apartment. Yesterday all the marine’s had to give official statements about their training assignment and what happened at Lord Tech. For now they are either settled at the base or their own off-base residences. Kara is practically bouncing around the back seat as she looks at everything around them and she cannot wait to see Alex and Maggie. What will they say if she tells them she called herself Danvers today?

It’s like Lena can read her mind, because she rubs Kara’s thigh and says in almost a purr, “Kara Danvers.”

Kara looked at her and smiled. When she was waiting for Lena on the other end of her lab to leave out of her private entrance again Jess was saying goodbye to Lena and whispered to her, ‘Your Kara Danvers is a keeper.’ Lena blushed, laughed, and told her assistant she’d see her in the morning. 

“I like the way it sounds.” Kara whispered.

“Does Alex know you’re taking on her family name?” Lena let go of Kara’s thigh and gently tucked some of her golden locks behind her ear.

“She and Maggie offered the name to me back on the island. So, I can have the human surname of my alien sister and her soon to be wife. It’s not safe to go around calling myself Kara Zor-El. Those who may seek to hurt me again know me as that. I need a human identity to stay hidden and to keep even Lord away if he...”

“I like your name and I understand the need.” She paused, “Max and other assholes that have hurt will not be a problem for you again.”

Kara smiled at her and wanted very much to believe her.

  
  


Maggie opened the door with a big grin after hearing Kara’s voice over the comm and buzzing them up. They had called ahead with a fifteen minute warning. They weren’t going to though. Lena explained that it was more fun to just drop in sometimes. Kara had frowned, “But what if they’re having sex? I’d be pretty upset if someone interrupted us in the middle of-” Lena laughed and kissed her so she called Maggie and told them they were on the way. Kara had a good point after all.

Maggie wasn’t wearing a medical soft collar, but her neck was still bruised. Kara lifted her up in a hug and spun her, careful not to jostle her. Lena said she wasn’t hurting anyone and so she wants to trust her and trust her own control over her powers. Nothing in Maggie’s reaction indicated any harm done. She laughed and hugged Kara’s neck as she spun her around. 

Alex was down the hall in the bathroom, “Why the hell are you two gonna crash in with practically no warning huh? I’m in the middle of some pretty important shit!”

Kara raised her eyebrows, scrunched her nose, and then frowned at a strong chemical smell, “What the stars is that awful smell?”

Maggie laughed, “Alex! Kara said your hair stinks!”

Alex stepped out the bathroom doorway with a clear cap on her hair and a towel tied around her shoulders and dye-stained plastic gloves on. “Oh yeah!?! Come closer and get a big whiff Kara! I’m dying my hair because you gave me a lot of fucking gray hairs over the short period of time I’ve known you! I had no idea having an alien little sister would be so goddamn stressful!” Alex was yelling, cursing, and fussing, but her eyes were smiling under the funny cap and her lips were stretched into a large smile. So Kara went by that more than what she was saying. Humans tend to say one thing and mean or do something entirely different. It’s odd that humans contribute gray hair to stress and not age.

Kara grinned, “I hate to tell you this, but you’re really the younger sister with the gray hair!”

Alex’s expression changed, “What?! How fucking old are you? Mid twenties?”

Lena and Maggie were looking at Kara now. None of them knew how Kryptonian’s age or what Kara’s gone through with the phantom zone. “I’m 54 and not a single gray hair.”

Alex scoffed, “Fuck! Gaaaaahd you have insane alien genes!!” A timer went off and she darted back into the bathroom.

Maggie was looking at Kara in the black shorts and sleeveless cream top and ankle boots, “54? You’re just messing with her right?”

Kara laughed and shook her head, “I’m 54.” She could tell they were both trying to figure it out. 

Especially Lena. Maggie just ended up shaking her head and muttering in Spanish. Lena though, she was staring pretty hard at Kara now. She remembered on the helio when Cat asked Kara how old she was when she landed on Earth. Kara had answered oddly. She had said that she was ‘technically 13’ and then didn’t feel up to elaborating. She’s here for her if or when she is ready to explain.

Maggie gave Kara a quick tour of their apartment and gave her snacks. Kara was happy to try different kinds of chips and cookies and Maggie was happy to watch her react to them. Lena sighed. Apparently today was junk food day. She gave in and grabbed a cookie for herself.

Alex walked up to Maggie from behind and scared her on purpose. They laughed and smacked at each other before Alex shoved a cookie in her mouth and grinned at Kara. Kara smiled brightly and shoved another in her mouth too then another when Alex did the same. Lena laughed at them and Maggie snapped a quick pic of everyone at the counter. 

Lena licked her lips and leaned against the counter, “Kara, did you want to tell them about today?”

Alex and Maggie looked at the alien curiously. Kara smiled and wiped cookie crumbs from her lips and licked it off of her thumb. A motion that Lena certainly tracked with her light green eyes and Maggie giggled quietly at her, because yeah she noticed. 

The alien then licked her lips and looked up at the ceiling, “I got to read a few books on relativity while I was at L Corp today and went over some of Lena’s project notes in her lab, read part of a book on plants, met her assistant Jess, and I ate a lot of food from your human ‘chain’ called Big Belly Burger. It was amazing! I love shakes and fries and burgers! Rao, burgers!”

Lena laughed and squinted at her. Yeah, Jess knows she’s an alien and of course food is ultimately what she thought she meant. And when had she gone through her project notes? Which ones? She wants feedback from that brilliant mind. “Kara. Tell them more about meeting Jess?”

“Oh, Jess is a nice human. I like her fashion and her sense of humor. She is good for Lena and I’m glad she takes care of her needs. She is a worthy assistant and I think maybe I gained her approval… at least a little bit.” Kara seemed proud with her explanation and it earned a smile from Lena and a kiss on her lips. 

“That’s still not what I meant, I am so glad that you find her worthy too though. Also, you don’t need her approval...” Lena smiled warmly at her. “Tell them how you introduced yourself.”

Kara isn’t sure why she doesn’t need Jess’s approval but grinned brighter anyway. “Oh! I used my human name today! I am Kara Danvers!”

Alex hops up, half a cookie in her hand and starts dancing around the kitchen, badly, “Awww, yeah. Suck it! Danvers all the way baby! Danvers sisters in the house! Mmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmm! $50 from my lady and $50 from Lena’s she-devil head-of-security!”

Kara looks confused but amused, “You had a bet on what name I would take?”

“Yep!” Alex hugged Kara and kissed her on the cheek, “My beautiful alien sister, you keep being you and I’ll keep cashing in. Okay?” Alex held out her hand to Maggie and she was sulking and glaring at Lena. “Where’s my money, baby?”

Maggie sighed, “I’ll pay you _later_?”

Alex laughed and held out her hand, “Nuh-uh, no _tricks_ to pay it off _later._ Where’s my _cash at_?” Alex rubbed her fingers together in Maggie’s face and the brunette cursed in Spanish and left the kitchen. 

Kara frowned. Tricks? Tricks to pay off a debt? Humans are so weird. What kind of tricks does Maggie know? She knows tricks too! She can fly and have heat vision. Can she show people for free food?

Lena looked entertained for a moment as she watched Kara mentally dissect that last bit of the conversation and she knows exactly what she’s thinking. That doing something cool with her abilities might be nice tricks to pay off debts. Sweet Kara. She can’t wait for her to bring it up either on the way back in the car or once they get inside the penthouse.

The short, brunette stomped back in and slapped the money in Alex’s hand.”Good luck getting Sam to pay you.”

Alex sniffed the money and smirked, “I’ll bite her other hand if I have too.”

Maggie rolled her eyes and looked at Lena, “I’m never betting on you again Luthor.”

Kara looked at Lena. The CEO was blushing all of a sudden. “Wait. What? You thought that I’d take Lena’s last name?”

The disgruntled woman put one hand on her hip and used the other to gesture wildly between the two of them, “Duh! Jesus.”

Kara looked at the scarlet human next to her that wouldn’t make eye contact for the first time since they’ve met. “If Alex bet on Danvers and you bet on Luthor...then what did Sam bet on?”

“Sam, bet that you’d hyphenate and chose to be either Danvers-Luthor or Luthor-Danvers.”

Kara nodded slowly and saw that Lena’s state hadn’t changed, “I see. I’ve read many books and read notes and wondered why some people had hyphenated last names and most did not. Wouldn’t that only be from the union of two houses through marriage or passed down to children?”

“Yeah.” Alex said and watched them.

Kara’s gears were turning. “I’m not married to Lena. You asked me into your house as family, as a sister. I wish to take the name and be your sister.”

Alex smiled at her, “Kara, I’ll consider you my sweet, somehow older, alien sister no matter what your name is.”

Maggie nodded, “Same, but sister-in-law.”

“That means family through marriage?”

Lena smiled at the alien. Of course she wants to understand everything. Kara caught her finally looking back at her and grinned brightly. Successfully making the CEO blush a little again, goddammit. She hasn’t blushed this much since fucking boarding school. Even back then she hadn’t blushed this much. Shit. 

“Yes.”

“I still want to be a Danvers. I may hyphenate when I marry.”

Maggie giggles, “Yeah good fucking luck getting that money from Sam.”

Kara smiled at them and looked at Lena. 

Lena was looking away again because this is just too much for her heart or her brain. She adores Kara, but she doesn’t want to assume that her alien girlfriend will become her alien wife...even if she absolutely loves the idea of it happening one day. The way Kara is looking at her has her wondering just what is going on behind those blue eyes, but she doesn't trust herself to look into them for too long right now. If she did...she didn’t she’d be able to look without just melting into a puddle and asking Kara to please take care of her heart and just go ahead and hand it over. Fuck that. God. She knows for a fact that she handed her heart over when she still thought Kara was an A.I. Oh God, she’s so screwed. Whatever happens, it has to be Kara’s choice. Lena can’t do anything to make Kara feel obligated or like she doesn’t have options. 

  
  


They get back to Lena’s penthouse and Kara is slipping off the ankle boots when she asks Lena, “Lena what kind of tricks can Maggie do?”

Lena giggled. She had been waiting for Kara to bring that up. She knew she wouldn’t be able to not ask.

Kara looked happy as she followed Lena to the bedroom, “I know that laugh. Is it a sex thing?” Lena looked at her as she unfastened her belt and untucked her shirt. She didn’t respond. “It’s a sex thing. Why did she say tricks instead of fun or sex?”

Lena slowly unbuttoned her shirt, “Some people use their bodies as a way to get currency. They perform ‘tricks’ to get paid.”

Kara watched Lena undo her shirt in the slowest motions, “And...Maggie is one of these people?”

“No, that’s just where the term comes from. Sometimes when people are in a relationship...an intimate one they may joke about trading sex for favors or things. Alex was joking that Maggie may have tried to get out of paying her by choosing to…”

“Have some extra fun instead.” Kara watched the shirt slowly open and Lena slid it off of her beautiful frame. Kara’s eyes flitted to Lena’s bruises and to her lace bra. Rao, she loves lace.

“You got it.” Lena smiled.

Kara tugged at Lena’s belt loops, “Is that something we can joke about?”

Lena cupped Kara’s face, “We can joke about anything you want as long as you know that I would never expect sex or favors from you. That I give you things, because I care about you and I want to put a smile on your face. I owe me nothing.”

Kara smiled sadly, “I know you take care of me for the right reasons. I’d never doubt your intentions with me Lena.”

Lena gently kissed her. She hopes Kara always feels this way about her. She wants to be deserving of the woman’s love.

  
  


Kara and Lena are in PJs and on the couch watching a cooking show on a streaming service and they’re eating lasagna, salad, and bread sticks. Well Lena is eating salad. Kara watches Lena every few bites or so and smiles brightly when she gets caught.

Lena laughs and pauses the episode, “What are you thinking about?”

Kara put her empty plate down on the coffee table, “I have a couple more questions about today.”

The human smiled and nodded for her to continue. 

“There was a moment I was talking with Jess and I was worried that I wasn’t making a good impression with her...she said that I hadn’t ‘messed anything up’. I’m not sure what she meant. I know I hadn’t made any messes in your office or your lab.”

“You are very neat. Jess didn’t mean a physical mess. She meant that whatever you two were discussing, whatever you were worried about...that you shouldn’t be worried that you hadn’t messed up that social interaction. One doesn’t want to mess up their job interview or mess up their family outing.” Lena put her empty salad bowl on the table and reached out to hold Kara’s hand. “Does that make sense?”

Kara nodded slowly and kissed Lena’s hand, “I don’t want to mess this up.”

Lena smiled. “You’re not.” She used the hand that had just been kissed, to tug at Kara’s strong jaw and pull her into a quick kiss. Kara smiled sweetly. “What’s the other question?”

Kara licked her lips and sat up a little straighter, “What exactly does it mean...to be girlfriends?”

Lena raised her eyebrows and shook her head. Oh no. Why hadn’t this been the first thing they talked about after getting back to the mainland? Fucking hell. Before that! Fuck, this should have been discussed BEFORE she went and stuck her tongue in the beautiful alien’s mouth. Lena whimpered quietly at her sudden predicament. 


	19. Community

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick visit.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

  
  


Last Time

Kara licked her lips and sat up a little straighter, “What exactly does it mean...to be girlfriends?”

Lena raised her eyebrows and shook her head. Oh no. Why hadn’t this been the first thing they talked about after getting back to the mainland? Fucking hell. Before that! Fuck, this should have been discussed BEFORE she went and stuck her tongue in the beautiful alien’s mouth. Lena whimpered quietly at her sudden predicament. 

This Time

Kara crinkled her brows and frowned slightly. Lena was panicking a little and that worried her. “Lena. I like...whatever this is between us. I _want_ this. I just don’t really understand the term or the perimeters of our relationship and what it means to you. This is nothing like…the relationships that I grew up around. I told you that sex was taboo.” She sighed, “It was prohibited and unlawful. Affection wasn’t shown except by and for children to comfort and care for them and to cement early family bonding…yet we are very sexually active and affectionate in many ways. Even embracing our friends...wasn’t something often done by adults back home.”

Lena nodded. Okay. Kara just needs to know what Lena means by girlfriend and what she wants out of the relationship. That’s easy. Not. Fuck. Okay, Lex. If there was as good a time as any for an attack...now would be it. Lena could use a few months to figure her shit out right about now. How to say anything without making Kara feel trapped or committed to meet Lena’s standards? “So, you said sex was taboo before...I thought you meant, as in, never talked about. Like me being a lesbian wasn’t talked about with my family, but it’s not as taboo now because I don’t care what they want and their opinion doesn’t matter.”

Lesbian? Maggie had used that term to refer to herself after catching Kara vibrating her fingers in the waiting room. “Wait. What is...what are...? Maggie referred to herself as a ‘lesbian’ too and I still don’t know what that means.”

“Oh God.” Lena rubbed her face and pulled Kara into a crushing hug, one she wanted Kara to really _feel_ , “I’m tempted to have Hope help you look things up online and moderate your findings for a little while.”

Kara laughed and hugged her back carefully, “I know I ask too many questions. Lord, heavily moderated what I could find as well.”

Lena squeezed the woman and then gently rubbed her shoulders and looked at her in the face without stopping the rubbing motions, “No, I didn’t mean... you don’t ask too many questions. I rather you ask me or our friends than find out from questionable sources. There are some things you just shouldn’t have to look up...moderate...I meant that um Hope could help you and make sure you’re reading from reputable sites. Not...control what you...no that’s...the same thing isn’t it?”

Lena bit her lip and massaged Kara’s shoulder while she thought heavily on the topic.

Kara relaxed into the shoulder massage and watched Lena think. She understands that Lena doesn’t want her being misinformed and following advice from bad sources. She tells her that and that she’s perfectly fine with being guided to the proper sources if she needs to research something. What good is the information if it is wrong? The human relaxes a little and eventually talks again.

“Okay, so Maggie is a lesbian. I am a lesbian too. It means I am a homosexual. I am only sexually attracted to females.”

Kara nodded. That’s what that means? Humans have words for everything! 

“Bi...means bisexuals, they are sexually attracted to both males and females. Gay...can be interchangeable with Lesbian when referring to a woman who likes women. But, is usually used to refer to homosexual men. Men that are attracted to men.”

Kara was still nodding and looking a little starstruck.

“I’m going to have Hope find you reputable resources for information on everything about the community. Just remember when you take it all in that the jist of it is that love is love and it’s okay to be yourself.”

“Okay.” It’s a whole community! Can they visit? Can they go live there? 

“You can always ask me questions, Kara. But, back...to what we were talking about...sex is prohibited on Krypton? What about procreation?” Lena asked.

Kara shook her head, “No. Sex was completely prohibited. For over a hundred generations, birthing chambers were used. These technologically advanced chambers allowed the DNA of two parents to be combined and would form their genetically perfect child. The child would have represented the best product of the joined houses.”

Lena blinked. There was a lot to unpack there. Generations of foregoing sex and literally crafting perfect children. Explains how Kara is so... she was literally made to be PERFECT. Joined houses. Not to mention the continued use to describe Krypton in past-tense still. Has Kara resigned herself from ever going back? Had something happened to force her to leave? Could her planet really be gone?

“See? Very different then how Krypton was. I need to know what it means to be your girlfriend.”

Lena scooted next to her, “Kara, people want different things out of relationships. At the root of it most want love, but they seek out their happiness differently. I don’t want to hand you a list that you might try to fit yourself into just to try and make me happy. I like you _exactly_ how you are...and I’m excited to watch you...grow as you discover the world around you. I’m happy with how we are together now.”

Kara still looked confused, “That’s all your going to say? I’m happy with you too, Lena, but I have no idea what I’m doing or what is expected of me.”

“You’re a natural, please don’t worry.” Lena grinned and kissed her cheek.

Kara shot her a look and sighed, “Can you at least tell me the things not to do? Things that would mess this up?”

Lena nodded and thought about it, “Okay. I need to be able to trust you. I do. Lying would eventually harm that.”

“Okay, no lying.”

Lena smiled, “You don’t have to tell me everything either.”

Kara frowned. How does that work?

“Cheating is bad. The worst. I expect to have a monogamous relationship with you. Kissing, inappropriate flirting, or being sexually intimate with someone else while we are girlfriends would be considered cheating. That would circle back and destroy trust.” Is Kara okay with that?

“No cheating.” She nodded. Lena wasn’t upset over Alex kissing her cheek earlier, so apparently that was allowed with Alex at least. Kara will have to tread carefully as she figures out these trials of intimacy among the humans. Human mathematics is much easier to navigate.

“Not communicating can destroy a relationship too. We are open and we talk. But, that might not always be the case...if that happens we’ll try and open back up to one another.”

“I can expect the same things from you, as my girlfriend?”

“Yes.” Lena nodded.

Kara leaned in and kissed Lena. It didn’t answer the millions of questions stirring within her but it was a start. Lena said she could talk about these things with trusted friends. She has a feeling she’ll be asking Alex, Maggie, and Hope questions too. She’s interested in the aspect that everyone wants different but similar things from a relationship. They want love but in different ways. So unlike Krypton, people offered different things that complete these relationships on Earth. On Krypton each person brought different levels of prestige, their DNA, and stability to raise their child. The unique parts of themselves were meant to fuel the guilds they were assigned to and to mold the next generations. Here...here it seems like it is just so much _more_. Like humans are meant to complete one another on many different personal levels just as much as they are meant to have a family and be productive members of society. Rao, why didn’t they have this? Could this deeper connection be what was needed for Krypton to unite enough to save itself. If they had cared more for each other…

Lena ran a finger along Kara’s jaw and watched her think.

Kara blinked out of her thoughts, “I accept your terms.”

Lena laughed lightly, “You accept my terms.”

Kara nodded, leaned in, and kissed her girlfriend.

Lena was reading a work email in her kitchen. She’s half ready for work, dressed in black fitted pants and a long-sleeve white button up shirt. It’s only half buttoned and it’s untucked. Her makeup is done but her hair is down and a little messy. She scrolled through the email and needed to finalize some things later and Lord Tech would be fully absorbed by L Corp. Lord was dumb enough to not have majority shares and now Lena owns his company. Once he loses everything else she’ll acquire many of his shares too. She sipped at her coffee and watched Kara. She was sprawled out across the floor beside some of her plants and was reading on a tablet and occasionally asking Hope different things. She heard her ask her to show her a video about pancakes and how to make the best ones. She asked her to show her pictures of the prettiest ponds around earth and asked about different plants and animals in the pictures. Hope even sounded like she was having fun. Kara had synced her to the camera in the tablet, because she ‘wants Hope to be able see her while they’re spending time together’. Lena grinned at the sight of Kara in shorts and loose sweater and took another sip. She wasn’t expecting the next question.

“Hope, where is the Lesbian, Bi, and Gay community located? Can I visit it? How can one live there?”

Lena choked on her coffee. Kara sat up and looked at her. The human mouthed the words ‘I’m okay’ and grabbed a nearby cloth napkin.

Hope laughed and answered Kara through the tablet, “It is not a physical place, but a feeling of fellowship between people with common interests and goals.The LGBTQ community spans the globe.”

Kara slouched a little. It’s not a place, but a widespread feeling...a community of similar people. “What does the T stand for?”

Lena cleared her throat and felt confident enough to try for her coffee again.

Hope answered her and sounded happy to share any knowledge with Kara. “Transgender. When a person is born one gender but, identify as another. They can, with the help of doctors eventually physically transition to another gender if they wish. A trans man was biologically a woman that is transitioning or has transitioned and is now a man. A trans woman was a-” 

Kara looked in awe, “was biologically a man and is now a woman! That is amazing! I did not know that humans could perform such medical feats. Show me more! Show me how they do it, please.”

Lena raised her eyebrows at the request. It is fascinating from a medical and scientific point of view. Kara is a sponge about everything and she loves that about her.

And ten minutes later, Kara is still learning about gender reassignment and discussing the ‘Q’ with Hope and there is chime at Lena’s door. She gets up from the couch and taps the security panel. _“Miss Luthor. Ms. Catherine Grant is here to see you.”_

Lena wasn’t expecting her and there was still plenty of time before she had to finish getting ready and go to work. Cat mumbled, _“Cat. Not. Catherine.”_

“Yes, send her up. No need to escort her.”

Kara grinned. She is happy to see Cat again, but for now she was sitting in against the balcony door and soaking up the rays through the glass without being in a separate space from Lena as she educated herself on all things Earth.

Lena opens the door after buttoning up her shirt enough to not be showing her lace bra. “Good morning, Cat.”

The woman smiled, “Morning, Lena. I’m sorry to drop by unannounced but I don’t have your number and Sam wouldn’t message me back.” She’s wearing a deep blue dress skirt, and gray and white vertical striped blouse. 

“Let’s fix that. Would you like some coffee?”

Cat nodded, “Yes, I could use another cup.” She takes off her heels at the door and follows Lena to the kitchen. She smiles when she sees Kara sitting on the floor next to some plants, leaning against some balcony doors, long wavy hair messy and catching the sunlight, with a tablet in her hands and a look of interest on her face. 

“Sam isn’t scheduled to work today so I’m sure she’s sleeping in.” She slides her unlocked phone to her on the counter. It’s open to the contacts page to put in her own information. She puts it in quickly and watches Kara.

“How do you like your coffee? I have honey, sugar, and some almond milk.”

“A little of the milk is all. Thank you.”

Kara grins at the tablet, “Thank you, I have to go for now, but can we pick back up on this later please? I want to know more about human hormones, hormone therapy, and earlier you mentioned gender identity and the uses of pronouns. I’d like to understand that too.”

“Of course, Kara. Have a good morning.”

“You too, Hope.”

Kara turns off the camera connection, gets up, stretches, and puts the tablet on the coffee table. She crosses the large area and perches onto one of the stools across from the two women. They’re both smiling at her and Cat has a mug of coffee in her hands. Why do humans like the bitter liquid so much? “Good morning, Cat.” She grinned at the woman.

“Kara, it’s good to see you. You look very comfortable and happy.” She acknowledged.

“I am. Lena has been very kind and accommodating to my presence.” Kara beamed. “I’ve been talking with Hope. She was on the tablet and she’s been answering my questions...we’re trying to give Lena a little break. I ask a _lot_ of questions.”

Cat looked at Lena and laughed lightly and smiled. Kara was talking with an A.I. even after what happened on the island? Well, Lena is obviously more careful than Max. “I imagine you do have a lot of questions about our world and us odd little aliens. What have you been asking Hope about?”

Lena laughed and licked her lips as she tried to fight off a big grin. “Kara, will you tell Cat what you asked Hope about the community?”

Kara blushed, but smiled. Her question had made Lena choke on her drink. It was very funny to her and she must think Cat will find it funny too. “I...asked Hope, ‘where is the Lesbian, Bi, and Gay community located? Can I visit it? How can one live there?’ Lena choked on her coffee.”

Cat started laughing so hard she had to set her coffee on the counter. “That is funny and adorable. How did you even know to ask about that in the first place?”

Lena sipped her coffee and looked at Kara expectantly.

Kara sighed a little and smiled at her favorite human, the human that likes getting her to say and talk about things that amuse her. “Last night I wanted to know what ‘girlfriend’ actually means...it led to conversations about how relationships were on my planet...that led to taboos...which led to comparing cultural taboos.” Kara scrunched her face a little and continued, “I wanted to know what a lesbian was. Maggie had referred to herself as one in the hospital, but I didn’t ask...Lena explained sexuality on this planet and she said Hope could give me information on the community. I had hoped it was a place to go to. I think I’d like it there, if it were a physical place. Even just for a quick visit.”

Lena swallowed and laughed a little. She really hopes _this_ isn’t just a quick visit. Cat picked up on that too and asked.

Cat snickered, “Just a quick visit?” She side-eyed Lena at her own joke.

Kara watched them and leaned onto the counter, elbow on the counter and chin resting in her hand, “Hope said it’s not a physical place, but I did learn so many interesting things about human sexuality. My planet lacked all sexuality, whereas your planet is thriving in it.”

Cat laughed more, “Yes, it hasn’t always been this way and it’s not like that everywhere on this planet. Hope can show you how expression of sex has changed over the many years. It sort of fluctuates with the times.”

Kara nodded. She would like to know how it’s evolved here. “I landed at a good time then.” 

The reporter roared with laughter and the CEO was right there with her. 

The alien watched them, still propping up her chin in her hand and smiling. She’s happy that she makes her friendly humans laugh. They are so vibrant and alive and it makes Kara feel immense joy. “Is it inappropriate for me to ask a human what their sexual identity is? I don’t want to make assumptions or offend anyone.”

Lena shrugged, “Usually it’s best to let them share the information with you instead of asking. Many people are still uncomfortable with sharing. It’s still a taboo depending on where you are or who you ask.”

Kara frowned a little, “Are they scared to tell people?”

Cat nodded, “Some are. My mother threw a wine glass at me when I told her I was bisexual. I was nineteen. She’s still an evil bitch about it. She likes to pretend it was a phase and it never happened and never will again. But, I’m still bisexual, despite her intollerance.”

Kara sat up and appraised Cat, “Lena said love is love and it’s okay to be yourself.”

Cat smiled, “Lena is a smart woman.”

Lena smiled back in understanding and checked the time. She’s doing fine and she’s glad they got up extra early.

Cat looked at Kara, “Do you feel like sharing?”

Kara raised her eyebrows and looked a little surprised, “About?” Cat smiled and sipped her coffee and so did Lena. Rao. These humans.

She puffed out a little air and bit her lip as she thought, “I’m obviously attracted to women. I mean…” She gave Lena a _look_ and the human giggled quietly. “I’ve never experienced attraction to a man before.”

Cat nodded, “Have you been attracted to other women?”

Kara tilted her head and thought about it.

Lena topped off her and Cat’s coffee and watched her alien girlfriend sit there and be cute thinking about attraction. Lena is curious to know the answer anyway. She’s come into contact with so many humans even as ‘L’ while with Lord. She’d be surprised if Kara hadn’t experienced some form of attraction before her. Flattered, deeply flattered, but surprised.

“The last year I was in military custody, I would have been physically 19, there was a new doctor that came in from overseas Dr. Amy Mesner. She was patient with me and tried to get the others to be less strict, tried to afford me some freedoms around the base, asked them to give me something other than meal shakes and bars to eat, and make me more comfortable while I was being held there. She would come to my room and just sit with me and one day she gave me art supplies. The others were so mad, but she convinced them to let me keep them. I liked her, but I was also attracted to her and didn’t realize what was happening at the time. It was gradual and...so gradual that I didn’t notice then until I was gone and thinking about her years later.” She picked at the hem of the sweater sleeve and looked over at Cat and at Lena while her chin was tucked in slightly and face angled downward. “I think I didn’t have a chance once I saw Lena in Lord’s office. It was not gradual at all. I was so overwhelmed by my sudden attraction to her, how she was watching me, I knew she thought I was tech and that was why, but I lied and said I was needed at the assembly line so I could get away and remember how to breathe.”

Cat smiled warmly and Lena looked love-struck.

Her favorite human finished her coffee and walked over and kissed her on the cheek, “I remember. I thought you were the most beautiful woman when I saw you, then he lied and called you tech and I was just interested even more. You dismissed yourself and practically ran out of there. Then you still had to come and get me and give me a tour after.”

Kara laughed. “I don’t know how I managed to show you around without short-circuiting my implant that day.”

Lena kissed her cheek again. 

Cat laughed, “Lesbian then?”

Kara looked amused, “I think so. But, I’m not sure how I feel calling myself that. I love the concept you humans have made. I think it’s fantastic…”

Lena nudged her, “You don’t have to label or call yourself anything.”

Cat nodded, “That’s right.”

Kara looked curious, “Do either of you know humans that have transitioned?”

The reporter raised her eyebrows at the question, just not expecting it. “I’ve known many over the years. Why do you ask? Is that something you’ve been learning about with Hope?”

Hope happily chimed in at the sound of her name and confirmed it. 

Kara smiled in the direction of the nearest speaker and then at Cat, “I’d love to meet them! They must be some of this planet's strongest humans! To defy societal norms to pursue their truth and have their bodies reflect their souls.” She looked thoughtful, “I wonder, if humans had birthing chambers, if everyone would have the correct body to match their souls then? Or were there Kryptonians that felt the same way, but couldn’t speak of it?! Lena what if there were Kryptonians that wanted sex, or had different labels, or felt misgendered, but they were unable to do anything because of our strict customs?”

Lena shook her head, “I...can’t answer that. I don’t know. You’re discovering yourself...so I imagine that given the chance and freedom to do so...” She didn’t elaborate.

Cat definitely had some questions but everything that just came out of Kara’s mouth. “I work with a nice young woman a little younger than the two of you. She’s Naltorian. She transitioned as she became an adult.”

Kara lit up, “Oh! I know about Naltorians! Can I meet her? Would she be okay with meeting me?”

The blonde laughed, “I think Nia would love to meet you, Kara. I’ll arrange it.”

Kara was very excited at the prospect of meeting Nia.

“I know you two have your day to get ready for, I came by because Chief Marsdin has requested your presence at the precinct to go over evidence and criminal charges. She said today or tomorrow at your convenience and she works long hours and wants you to feel comfortable when you go in. She’s offered to even do the interviews personally if you want and said you can bring moral support. Whatever you need.”

Lena grabbed Kara’s hand and gently rubbed it, “You can go anytime today or tomorrow then.”

“I can’t go if you’re at work. I have to be with you in case your brother shows up.” Kara stared at her.

“I can’t miss work. So either you can go while I’m at work and I rely on my security and your speed if something happens or we try to go after I’ve finished for the day today or tomorrow.”

Kara frowned. “I don’t want to go alone and I don’t like the idea of not being near you.”

Lena studied the alien's face and deeply sighed, “You should go to press your own charges against him. The more we stick him with the longer he stays imprisoned. Hope found documents and footage of his experiments and logs he kept on you. I haven’t looked over them...but, I had her send copies to the precinct and they’ve investigated your quarters and his private lab...that you trashed. Your testimony will help cement what he’s done with the jury once it goes to court. I can’t miss work and I don’t know if I can leave early...I don’t want to upset Chief Marsdin either and make her wait longer. Maybe she’ll give you an extra day so I can go with you?” She feels bad, but if she misses work now with the acquisition and the board down her throats she risks losing traction within L Corp. Any other time she’d take the day off. She wonders if she’s making the right decision or if Kara will be upset with her. She’s upset with herself honestly, but it can’t be helped at the moment. Fuck. 

Kara hadn’t even thought of that. Of having to publicly accuse him. She thought of her mother’s court. She knew she had to go and that if anything did happen to Lena she was fast enough to get back to her. But she needs to know Lena can call out to her and that she’ll hear her if she’s not already focused enough on her heartbeat. “Hope?”

“Yes, Miss Zor-El?” Kara smiled over her still calling her, her birth name.

“Can you broadcast ultrasonic sound frequencies?”

“Yes. At what strength?” Both humans are looking at her curiously. 

Kara thought about the ones the military and Lord had tested on her. The more jarring the better so she knows to get to Lena quick. “Can you broadcast at 60,000 Hz? If so, say…’L, help.’ Please?” It’ll hurt but she’ll know Lena’s life is at risk and preventing that tragedy is worth any pain. 

_“L, help.”_ Is all she broadcasted and the ultrasonic range she requested. Kara paled and dropped her head to the counter slowly. 

“Yes.” She said weakly and nodded, “Yes, thank you Hope. Use that to signal me if Lena is in trouble, please.”

Lena gripped her shoulder, “Kara!” She saw a little blood trickle from her ear and quickly grabbed a cloth napkin from nearby. “Your ears!”

Kara let her dab them and absorbed the angry look Lena was giving her, “Kara, you cannot just do something like that and hurt yourself.” The alien didn’t reply. If they’re going to disagree that’s okay. They’ll likely come up with another less painful way to call for her another time.

Lena was mad and felt guilty and so loved by Kara all at the same time that she felt ill. “You don’t have to go alone, if I cannot go to the precinct then you have other people that will support you.” She looked into Kara’s blue eyes. “I need to finish getting ready.”

Cat watched Lena walk to her room and close the door.

Kara hung her head and balled up the bloody napkin in shame when she heard a quiet sniffle come from the direction of Lena.

Cat walked around the kitchen island and placed her mug in the sink, “I know it’s not what you want, but I’d be honored to go with you to the precinct and I’ll stay to make sure you’re not alone.”

Kara nodded. “Yes, please. I’ll get dressed and be right out.”

“You know she’d do anything for you, but sometimes her work may…”

The alien nodded, “I understand. I’m just...some of this is my own anxiety and...fear of being away from her.” Kara slipped off of the stool and Cat watched her float down the hall looking like a kicked puppy. She went and sat on the couch and waited for Kara.

  
  


Kara softly landed as she turned the bedroom door knob, Lena was in the bathroom freshening up her makeup and applying the last of her bright red lip stain. The alien walked in and wrapped her arms around Lena’s frame. “I’m very sorry, Lena. Tonight I’ll figure out a different way to be signaled if there’s ever an emergency. I just need something in place now so I can go talk to Chief Marsdin and not only be worried about you. Please...don’t be angry with me.”

Lena melted into the damn hug immediately and her chest hurt as she listened to Kara’s quiet apology and pleas. “I’m sorry I can’t go right now. I’m not...I...I want to...and I understand you’re worried...and I’ll help you with an audible beacon that does not _harm_ you.”

Kara nodded into Lena’s shoulder. She was fighting the tears threatening to escape. She doesn’t know that she’s strong enough to be away from Lena. She’s been feeling intensely attached to her since reuniting on the island and she’s been a constant source of warmth and safety. “I...will be okay. You will too. I’ll go with Cat…” Kara didn’t look particularly convinced at her own words, but Lena was proud of her for trying. “...and I’ll see you later.”

Lena turned into the hug instead of remaining facing the bathroom counter, “They have all the evidence just comply with the Chief, answer their questions unless they’re about our relationship, or me, they don’t need to know everything…” She kissed Kara’s forehead as she hugged her back. 

“I’ll be ‘L’...I’ll wear what I left the island in and put in the Lord Tech contacts. We were work partners and you were worried about me going on a suspicious assignment. You investigated and helped us all.”

Lena peeled herself from Kara’s warm body, “You’ve got this. You can do anything, _Kara Zor-El._ I believe in you.” Lena needs to go to work, but part of her feels like she should call work and say she can’t come in, but she also knows it would harm her company in a turbulent time, and she sees the importance of Kara being able to do things without her. 

Kara placed a quick, warm kiss against Lena’s lips and let her finish getting ready. She went to the guest bathroom and put on the outfit she left the island in. She pulled on the tight black spandex exercise pants, the loose fitted blue tank top, but she put on a pair of Lena’s white sneakers. She pulled her hair up in a messy ponytail and sighed as she put in the glowing contacts. The hospital staff will have likely recognized her on the news and put things together. The male nurse is probably rubbing it in everyone's face. He was the only one to guess that she was an alien. They signed NDAs for Lena though so she knows they’re bound to silence. She hopes they respect that. 

She looks at herself in the guest bathroom mirror. Her eyebrows draw together and she frowns. She’s ‘L’ again and it feels awful.

Lena is in the kitchen with Cat. She listened to them talk about how it will likely go at the precinct. Kara walks out and crosses her arms and looks at them.

Lena stopped talking, walked over, and cupped Kara’s face with both hands, “Kara Zor-El. I expect to hear all the details over dinner tonight.” She kissed the pout right off of Kara’s mouth.

She sighed. “You two go downstairs. I’ll take the balcony and meet Cat in her vehicle once she gets on the street away from here.” She smiled at Cat. “Leave the car doors unlocked and I’ll speed in next to you.”

Cat nodded. “See you in a few minutes.” 

Kara squeezed Lena’s hand and strode to the balcony and they watched her blur out of sight.

  
  


Cat is a few block away and she’s stopped at a red light, staring at the thing under her visor and wondering when Kara will-

She appears next to her in the passenger seat with a little gust of air and the door clicks quietly shut. She smiles at her. Cat was a little startled even though she was expecting it. “Very cool.”

Kara smiled at her and looked around Cat’s clean car. The music was playing softly and Kara stared intently at the radio, but then looked sound and saw a small pile of Tribune and various news articles and a few magazines. 

“Those are for you. I thought you might want to have physical copies of them. To commemorate destroying his public image and escaping the island.”

Kara reached back and picked up the pile and brought them to her lap as Cat drove. She touched the article picture. It’s her bloody Lord Tech patch that she ripped off of her jacket after leaving the server building. “You kept it?” Kara’s glowing eyes flicked up from the article to the human next to her.

Cat smiled, “Yes.”

Kara looked back down at it and then held the small stack of materials to her chest. “Thank you, Cat. I will read these when...I can be alone.”

The reporter agreed with her by nodding gently and reaching over to gently pat her knee. Kara listened to the music and enjoyed the sounds. It’s been years since she’s really listened to anything other than the classical music approved by Lord. She’s heard earth music sporadically over the years and heard it played by soldiers, scientists, and Lord Tech employees, but she’s never been able to just listen to what she wants or put a song on repeat. She remembers one song that she had heard when she was younger that the soldier liked enough to keep playing, much to Kara’s excitement. It’s the only human song she’s heard several times and really, really liked. 

“Cat?”

“Yes?”

“There’s a song that I used to hear on the base. The soldier, he would play it over and over.”

Cat glanced at the radio and at the pretty alien next to her, “Do you know what it was called? Or who sang it?”

Kara shook her head, “No. I used to sing it in my head, but Lord took it away from me years ago. Hearing your music reminded me of it though…”

Cat turned down the radio, her favorite classic rock station, “Will you hum it for me? Or tell me the lyrics? We can find it for you so you can hear it again. If you’d like?” 

Kara looked around the city as they drove and she cleared her throat. She tapped the door handle gently in a beat and Cat instantly knew which song, but waited to see if Kara would hum the tune. Instead she reveals she has some great vocals and she pipes out the first verse of Queen’s ‘I Want to Break Free’ to her. “I want to break free...I want to break free...I want to break free from your lies! You're so self satisfied- I don’t need you. I’ve got to break free! God knows...God knows I want to break free.” She stops tapping and singing and looks at Cat. The human looks a little flushed, excited, and is grinning. Kara smiles, “Do you know it?!”

Cat nodded, “Oh yeah, I know it.” She pressed the speaker button on her steering wheel, “Play ‘I want to break free’ by Queen.”

The music started pouring out of the speakers and Kara radiated like fucking sunshine and the two women sang the song together the rest of the way downtown. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
Comments?

Kudos?

Take care!


	20. Antipodal

Kill Command 

rancordesherzens

  
  
  


As far as nerves go, Kara was much less nervous when she got there with Cat. People on the sidewalk and officers recognized them both immediately from the news and people were whispering when they walked inside. An officer escorted them upstairs to the chief’s office once their presence was announced. 

Marsdin stood and looked at the reporter and alien that had been brought to her. She cannot believe the shitstorm Maxwell Lord stirred up. She’s gone over the evidence against him, including his own recorded confession in his office as he was being apprehended. Admitting to shock torture on the alien along with essentially asking what better way for her live than to serve him. The sheer audacity to say that to someone, ever, but to do that while dangling from a high-rise? She is still surprised that the alien, ‘L’ as she’s referred to even bothered to catch him. She’s not one-hundred percent sure if their positions were switched whether or not she would have personally caught the man or not. The evidence, the notes, the recorded audio logs, and videos of what he has done to her over the years. Deplorable. He’s going away, for sure, whether or not L testifies. But, his sentence would likely be much longer if she participated. It would damage his reputation more if she took part. 

“Ms. Grant. L. Thank you both for coming so quickly.” She gestured to the chairs across from her desk, dismissed the officer with a nod, and sat once both women were sitting.

Kara was listening to the conversations around the precinct and was looking around the woman’s office with peaked interest. This woman runs the local authorities and is handling her information personally. She’s intrigued by the human laws and customs, but is unsure about most of them.

“L, how are you?” Olivia asked politely. 

“I am well. How are you Chief of Police, Olivia Marsdin?”

Marsdin smiled, “Honestly, I’m overwhelmed...please, call me Olivia. L, I want you to know you are safe here and that anything you say is off the official record unless we specifically say so. You’ve been through...so much, and I don’t want you to worry about being candid with me.”

Kara glanced at Cat and she just nodded at her, “You will be candid as well, Olivia?”

“Yes.”

“Then I must tell you now, that there are certain things I am unwilling to share. If you ask I will not answer if I deem it unnecessary. Not because I do not trust you, you have given me no reason to distrust you personally...but I will not put others at risk and if I think an answer to one question could potentially do so.”

“You have every right to want to take precautions. Is ‘L’ even your name?”

She nodded, “It is one of many, and the only one I intend for the public to know me by as related to this case and my history with Lord.”

Olivia leaned in, “You wish to have a dual identity?”

Kara nodded, her contacts glowing brightly, “There are humans that will know and recognize me throughout my years of confinement. I do not wish to have them seek me out again. I will have dual identities to keep them away from the life I wish to have among humans.”

“In order to give a statement and pursue charges against Maxwell Lord, the law requires your given birth name and any available records.”

Kara frowned, “I will not give my birth name. I have no records. Your country's military stole me as a child, on the very day I landed on this planet, and I have been kept illegally imprisoned by them and others until Cat Grant, Lena Luthor, and a few fellow, kind-hearted humans freed me.”

Olivia went wide-eyed. She thought the alien would be compliant seeing as she was working with a reporter on the story. But, much of this hadn’t been mentioned, only her time as Lord’s prisoner. 

Kara shifted in her seat and crossed her arms, “Lord gave me the name ‘L’. It will have to do for your records. Unless your judge is willing to help me press charges against your military and the many humans that have harmed me...I do not trust your government or your military leaders. I’ve been given ample reason not to trust them as a whole. I will testify, if allowed, and let your judge decide with the knowledge that I _will_ remain hidden.”

“This is a mess.” Marsdin muttered. 

The alien sighed. “If I will not give my name and because I am not legal on your planet...do I have no stance against a human that tortured me and kept me confined for seven agonizing years?”

Olivia sighed and rubbed her temples, “No. It’s just that it’ll take longer to prepare the trail is all. We have Alien Amnesty and Protection Laws in place to help protect you. You will not be held accountable for not having records and not being here legally. It will be difficult since you don’t want to share your identity with us, but we will figure this out so that he is prosecuted _and_ you will be protected.”

Kara relaxed a little, “Thank you, Olivia.”

“Of course. I have questions, I’ll need to fill out some paperwork, it’ll all be on the record so answer however you are comfortable...sign everything as L...myself and Ms. Grant can serve as official witnesses and I’ll try to get you through this as quickly as possible so that you can leave and get on with your day.”

Kara swallowed and told her she understood. 

  
  


Cat and Kara were in her car driving away from the building. 

“You did good, Kara.”

The alien tapped one knee as the other bounced, she was listening to Lena talk to Jess in her office several blocks away. “Thank you...for staying with me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Kara leaned back against the passenger seat and forced her leg to stop bouncing, before she damaged the human’s vehicle. “I’m going to go back to Lena’s, change, and then fly over to L Corp.”

“Alright. Be safe and I’ll see you soon. Lena has my number if you want to talk and I’m usually working at The Tribune if you ever want to drop by.”

Kara smiled at her, leaned across the console and hugged her, “Thank you again.” She pulled the magazines and articles Cat gifted her, to her chest, and blurred out of the car. The door clicked shut quietly and Cat let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. 

Kara re-lived some of her past trauma up in that office today and Cat learned more about the sadistic bastard known as Maxwell Lord. She feels a pain in her chest that maybe she could have found Kara years ago and saved her from some of that torture if only she had pursued that story more aggressively even when the trail went cold. Surely she could have found someone to talk, someone willing to risk it all to bring him down, someone that knew about Kara’s existence there? Fuck.

  
  


Kara walked into the guest room and placed the stack of articles next to her bag she had packed from Lord Tech. She hadn’t opened it since she stuffed it with her sketch books and a few items from her personal quarters. 

She sped into a pair of loose blue dress pants, tan oxfords, and a loose white blouse with sleeves that go down to below her elbows. She left her hair down, carefully put away the cursed contacts, and did her eyeliner and lip stain like Lena had the first time she applied it on her. She looked at herself in Lena’s bathroom mirror and fought the urge to cry. Marsdin and Cat had been kind, patient, and helpful, but going over the things Lord had done...the things that had been blocked by the implant for so long and she hadn’t let herself dwell on until now. She straightened her shoulders and nodded at her reflection like it would help her somehow. 

Lena had told her she’d keep a driver on standby. 

“Hope?”

“Yes, Kara?”

“I’d like a ride to Lena, please.”

“Head downstairs and a car will be waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

  
  
  


“I need to talk to Randall Marten. I will not hold, this is your boss, Lena Luthor.” Lena laughed silently to herself and Kara heard the woman on the line sputter and run to hand off the call to the man.

The man accepted the phone, “Hello? Randall Marten speaking.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Marten. This is Lena Luthor.”

“Ah! Hello, how may I help you?”

“I want to thank you for your assistance with re-tasking one of my satellite’s recently. Please set it back to it’s previous task. Also, I spoke with HR and have given you two-weeks paid time off and a bonus check for your help.”

There was an audible thud and a woman shakily speaking as she was trying to get the man up. Randall must have fainted over the reward. Lena waited until the woman picked up the phone, “He’s fine. Just light-headed, Miss Luthor.”

Lena laughed, “Alright, make sure he’s okay and have a great day.”

She hung up and called out to her A.I., “Hope.”

“Yes, Miss Luthor?”

“Where is Kara?”

“She is getting ready to leave the penthouse and head here.” 

“Have Jess complete that order for us, please.”

“On it!” 

Lena got back to work modifying the work she needed to finish Praxis, it was so much easier with the equation Kara solved. She couldn’t wait to share this with Dr. Mackie and the marines in need. She sent some of the newest notes and mods in an email to him. She’d shift to a different project in a while. This was helping with her headache she got from the mandatory board meeting she trudged through this morning. 

  
  
  


Kara left the penthouse and rode down in the elevator. She wasn’t particularly comfortable inside the boxes, they remind her of her escape pod and of the small rooms she’s been kept in, but she usually had her implant blocking that feeling or rode with someone and could focus on them instead of the panic bubbling within her. She clenched her jaw, played with her hands, and focused on her favorite heartbeat that she’d be near soon. 

  
  


The car ride had calmed her down some, and she enjoyed watching the aliens walk around the city. She crossed the lobby of L Corp. Security smiled at her, “Hello, Miss Danvers. Miss Luthor is expecting you. Head on up.”

Kara smiled at the man, “Thank you.”

The L Corp elevator ride was almost as slow and tortuous as the others, but was over quicker than it seemed. The doors opened and Kara smiled when Jess looked up from her computer and smiled. “Hello, Kara!” She tapped a button and announced her arrival after a moment. “You can go in. We’ve ordered some drinks and sweets to be delivered soon. Miss Luthor said you don’t like coffee so I ordered you a hot chocolate.”

Kara grinned. Whatever that is...it sounds like it will be good. Perhaps like a chocolate shake, but hot? “Thank you, Jess. Looking forward to trying everything.”

“Oh, I know you are. We ordered extra of everything just for you.”

Jess pat Kara on the shoulder and opened the office door for her.

Kara walked in and felt a wave of relief wash over her as she laid her eyes on Lena. Lena was on the phone with someone and smiled brightly at her as Jess ushered her in and closed the door behind them. Her favorite human’s heart rate spiked briefly. 

Lena ended the call quickly, telling them to email her rest, that something has come up. She got up and walked up to Kara and watched her, waiting to see how Kara was feeling. She imagined talking with the police and filing those charges would have taken a toll and she wishes she had been at her side. But, honestly, it would be very hard to keep their closeness a secret if Lena was ever around an upset ‘L’. Perhaps, not going was best for Kara’s cover since she wants a human identity _and_ well her own work situation demanded her not to miss today. It still fucking sucked either way. Kara needs to be able to do things without her...Lena knows that too.

The alien sighed and stepped into Lena’s space and wrapped her arms around the human’s torso. Lena draped her arms around the woman’s strong shoulders and held her. “I’m proud of you for going with Cat.”

Kara nodded into her neck. “Thank you.”

“We can talk about it over dinner if you’d like to?”

“Maybe.” Kara doesn’t even want to think about it. Is this what Lena meant by not lying but not having to tell her everything too? Rao, mental blocks from the implant had some advantages after all, she thought rather bitterly. Bitter like the coffee drink. Is hot chocolate bitter or sweet? She really hopes it’s sweet like the shakes.

“Did Jess tell you she’s ordered drinks and treats?”

“Yes. I get to try hot chocolate.” Kara whispered into Lena’s neck.

Lena rested her mouth on Kara’s golden mane and closed her eyes. She’s busy and needs to get back to her lab soon, but she will always make time to hold Kara.

Kara placed a kiss into Lena’s pulse point and gently pulled away from her, a small, sad smile on her lips. Lena’s chest ached at the sight. Kara went to the couch and pulled out her tablet to keep researching humans. 

  
  
  


When Lena went to her lab she had told Jess to bring her own drink and snacks down too when they were delivered. They could all enjoy them together while Lena kept working.

Kara was sitting on one of the counters and reading something as Lena made notes on her own tablet about the small piece of tech dismantled in front of her. Jess descended down the stairs with two bags of treats and three drinks in a cup carrier. 

Kara frowned at the smells. Yes they smelled good, but at the same time it all smelled all _wrong_ too. Why?

Jess quirked her head as she neared the counter Kara was at, “Uh oh, what’s got you frowning?” Lena moved away from her workstation and over to them.

Kara leaned over the items, “They smell good, but also...not? It’s very...they smell weird.”

Lena raised an eyebrow, “Weird how?”

The alien picked up the black coffee, Lena’s coffee, removed the lid and smelled it again and cringed, “It has a chemical smell that is never in your coffee. Everything has the same smell. I can’t place it. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think it’s safe to consume.”

The CEO looked alarmed, “Jess wash your hands, up to your elbows. Kara put that down and do the same thing, please. Both of you stay on the other side of the lab.” She crossed the room to grab a case and put on a mask with a large respirator. “Hope, scan the room for contaminates from the delivery and call security. Inform them the delivery was poisoned and to suit up.”

Kara looked alarmed as she dried her hands and arms with paper towels Jess offered her. The assistant whispered, “If there are poisons in the air we’ll have to take a decontamination shower. I hate it when that happens.” 

Lena slipped on a white full body suit and gloves.

Hope spoke, “Security has been informed and they are on the way. The deliverer is being tracked. My scans show the air is free of any dangerous contaminates.”

Kara whispered back to Jess, “How many times have you had to take one of those showers here?”

Jess thought for a moment, “Five times, but three of those ended up being false alarms.”

Lena nodded and dug through the bag and placed several items on a small white platform that scanned them. It flashed red and confirmed the attempt on their lives. Security, in full biohazard suits walked in, and joined her at the counter. She showed them the reading and she found a card in the bottom of the bag. 

She pulled off the mask and sneered as she read the card out loud, “Heard these were to die for. Love, Lex.” She growled, “He is such an ass!” 

She stripped the rest of the gear and let security take over and report the attempt on her life. She cleaned up and led Jess and Kara back up to her office. 

“I’m so sorry, Miss Luthor. I don’t know who delivered it, but it was Jacob that brought it up to me. I don’t think he would tamper with anything.”

Lena tapped and accessed the large screen on her back office wall, scrolling through security logs, “It’s not your fault that my brother tried to kill me...and us. Again. I’m just glad you didn’t sip your drink on the way down to the lab. I’m thankful Kara smelled the poison.”

Kara was pissed. “Hope.”

“Yes?”

“Who delivered the food?”

“I’ve just gone over the footage. I believe it was Lex himself, but he was in disguise.”

“Can you track him?”

“I cannot work beyond the confines of L Corp, Miss Luthor's residence, and her personal devices. I had limited access to Lord Tech while we were there, but have since been removed by Miss Luthor.”

Kara sped off and was back in a few seconds in the black tank top, protective vest, and tactical gear she wore to invade Lord Tech, her hair back up in a messy ponytail and contacts in. “Hope. Sync to my contacts and access the security logs of Lex dropping off the delivery. I’m going to fly around and you tell me if anyone matches his stature and gait.”

“Yes, I can do that.”

Jess gawked a little. Yes, she had figured out Kara’s identity, but seeing her like this was just something else. 

“Kara.” Lena held up her hand to get her attention.

“He doesn’t get to get away with this. He’s your brother and he…” Kara blinked as Hope synced to the contacts. She slipped the wireless earpiece in her ear. “I’ll be right back. _Hopefully_ with your kin in tow.”

Kara sped off and blurred to the balcony, she glanced at the two humans, before floating up and flying away.

Jess cleared her throat, “She’s...intense...when she’s angry.”

“Yes, she is. You should have seen her destroy everything on that island.” Lena nodded and checked in with security again. 

  
  
  


Kara had been flying around the city for twenty minutes. Hope spoke to her, “I believe he is no longer in the area. I am still not picking up anyone in the vicinity matching his gait and stature. I do not have access to the city CCTV feeds to expand my search beyond where you go with these lenses synced to my server.”

“Can I get you access?”

“That is unwise _and_ illegal.” Hope replied evenly.

Kara growled, “Okay, thank you Hope. I’m guessing that he left the building on foot going west, but got in a vehicle in a blind spot and then went anywhere from there.”

“I have deduced the same thing. I am sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I just...he almost _killed_ them. I feel like I’ve failed them if I go back without him.”

Hope knew the alien was feeling personally responsible for not catching the man, “He is notorious for this kind of crime and he is remarkably illusive. He has escaped capture for many years and often escapes imprisonment as well. You are not responsible, nor have you failed. You saved two lives today.”

Kara landed near a food stand and the people were startled by her sudden appearance. She glanced at them as they pulled out their devices and began taking pictures of her. She huffed and took back to the skies and circled the city, scanning the streets as she did, just in case. “Thank you, Hope.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Will you add Lex’s gait and measurements to L Corp and her residence security scans? So that anyone who gets say a...70% probability and higher is checked out _thoroughly_.”

“Yes, I will add it to the parameters and notify Ms. Arias and Miss Luther of the update.”

Kara smiled, “Good. Oh, I have an idea for how I can be alerted to an emergency from now on without the signal hurting my ears.”

“Miss Luthor will be pleased...I am too. I did not like the previous signal.” Hope paused. “Please, tell me your idea.”

The alien shared her idea with Hope, and flew around for a bit before returning to L Corp.

  
  


Kara blurred in Lena’s office, when she saw it was just her favorite human and her personal assistant. She blurred into her other outfit. She had been gone just over thirty minutes, “He’s annoyingly good at disappearing.”

Lena walked around her desk and caressed the alien’s cheek. She kissed the prominent pout off of Kara’s face, “Thank you for saving us.”

Jess smiled at them, “Yes, thank you. That was amazing, Kara.”

Kara licked her lips when Lena stepped away from the kiss and embrace, “I’m glad I was able to help. I’m sorry that I didn’t catch him.” She glanced at Jess. She can’t stop thinking about how close that had been, how close she had come to possibly losing these two humans.

Lena smirked and very optimistically said, “He’ll slip up, get cocky, and come at me in person and you’ll catch him then.”

The alien looked around the office, “Is it safe to go back to your lab now? I’d like to take a look at your solar generator schematics. I like what you’ve designed.” She really needs a distraction from her swelling emotions.

Lena grinned, “Yes. Let’s go.”

  
  
  


Kara stewed over the fact that Lex got away, but looking over Lena’s notes on the generator and her various design concepts helped to stave off her emotions for now. 

  
  
  


Lena would look up from where she was working sometimes and watch the alien perched on the stool, sleeves rolled up, and hair in a messy bun now. 

It took her breath away. 

She tweaked a section of the device she was currently trying to put together and when she noticed the time she felt guilty. It was well past ten and Kara hadn’t once complained. Lena tapped on her device to have Hope deliver dinner to the penthouse. Six pizzas and have them scanned for poisons in the lobby, paid electronically with a large tip, and brought up by one of her own staff from now on. 

Lena left everything out on the table and walked over to Kara. She slouched down and hugged Kara from behind. The alien relaxed into the hug immediately and turned her face back towards her to give her a quick kiss. Lena smiled into it and Kara slipped off of the stool and hugged the woman back properly, making Lena smile even bigger. “I didn’t mean for us to stay so late.”

Kara kissed her cheek, “It’s okay. I’ve been busy trying my own variations of your solar generator. Can I show them to you tomorrow?”

Lena hugged her tighter, “I’d love that.”

  
  
  


They climbed into the back of Lena’s town car and Kara scooted into her side and rested her head on Lena’s shoulder the whole way back.

  
  
  


As they entered the lobby Kara smelled the pizza, “Lena, someone ordered pizza.” Her stomach growled and Lena laughed at her.

“Yes, I ordered them. Security was to check for poison and take them upstairs.”

Kara walked faster and Lena had a hard time keeping up.

  
  
  


In the penthouse, Kara slipped off the tan oxfords and sped into the kitchen. She washed her hands and pulled out plates. “What do you want to drink?”

Lena hung up her bag and kicked off her heels, “The opened bottle of red.”

Kara sped to get glasses and poured the wine for Lena and some water for herself. “Which pizza do you want?”

Lena grinned as she washed her hands and watched the alien practically bounce around in excitement over the food and was sniffing at the boxes, “A slice of the veggie and a slice of the meat lovers, please.”

Kara smiled at her. Meat lovers, indeed. She piled up her own plate in a blur and carefully set the two slices Lena requested onto hers. She followed Lena to the dining table when she grabbed her wine and plate. 

The alien moaned into the first bite and Lena looked pleased with the reaction. Maybe too pleased. 

“Good?”

“Mmmmmhmmm.” The crust was different from the other pizzas and they tasted even better. Kara kept eating and blurred to the counter and back with more slices piled on her plate. She slowed down with the next ones. Not feeling like she’s starving anymore. 

“These are even better than the ones we had at the hospital.”

“Pizza varies from place to place...I have a few that I really like here in National City though. You can decide for yourself which are your favorites and if you ever want to try something new just let me or Hope or Jess know and we will.”

Kara smiled and downed more of the crispy rim of the pizza in front of her, “Thank you.” 

Lena licked some sauce from her finger and Kara noticed. She shot her a big smile and took another bite. 

“I was talking to Hope while I was flying around...once I figured out that Lex got away... Well, we found a frequency I can hear from anywhere without causing any pain. She’s going to broadcast it to me when there are emergencies and I’m going to design a wearable version of it for you, just in case Hope isn’t able to activate it herself.” 

“That’s wonderful, Kara. I’m glad you two figured something else out. What gave you the idea?”

Kara chewed and wiped her face on a napkin she blurred off to grab. A napkin for Lena gently floated down in the table next to her plate and she laughed as it appeared. “Remember my first morning here? Your alarm scared me?”

“Yes. I can never forget you being startled and floating above the bed.”

The Kryptonian nodded, “Well, you had Hope change the alarm when I’m around. It still wakes us both up, it’s still effective, but it’s quieter, less abrupt and it builds in intensity. We tried to apply your logic to the frequency itself. It’s still ultrasonic, but a softer variation that builds up, but still gets my attention quickly. Hope picked one that met our requirements and broadcast it from your office as I flew to the other side of your planet. I can hear it from anywhere and experience no pain.”

Lena’s eyes went wide. “You went across...the planet...across Earth...and could hear it from my office?”

“Yes.”

Oh that is incredible. “Where did you fly to?”

“Just East of Madagascar. Hope told me to fly low so that I wouldn’t be spotted on any radars.”

Lena gulped down some of her wine. Christ, she’s impressive. “That’s...amazing. You’re amazing. Hope?”

“Yes, Miss Luthor?”

“How did you boost your range to talk to Kara all the way to that antipodal location?”

“You gave me limited access to L Corp satellites for communication purposes only. You did it for your own international travel so that I could communicate with you. I interpreted that to extend to Kara by proxy. Would you like me to turn off that access?”

Lena laughed. “No, that’s not necessary. Thank you for helping, Kara and for keeping her under the radar.” She’s ‘interpreting’ codes and orders now. Interesting. 

Hope sounded happy, “You are very welcome. I love helping both of you.”

Lena grinned towards the closest speaker, “You’re getting sweeter and sweeter, Hope.”

Hope and Kara laughed and Lena smiled at the sounds. Her heart ached in the best way. Lex tried today, she knew he expected her to check her deliveries for poison and she’s been lax in that aspect of her security since well before his most recent escape. She won’t make that mistake again. Sure Kara saved them and if she hadn’t been present Hope would have called her for help. But, she doesn’t want to leave it up to chance. She and Jess could have ended up in the hospital or worse. She sighed. Lex will have been angry seeing that his attempt won’t even make the news. Serves him and his ego right.

Kara blurred back to the pizzas and opened a new box and sat back down, “What kind is this?”

Lena glanced at the slices on Kara’s plate, “Oh, that’s Margherita pizza. It’s a classic. Not many places have it as a choice. It’s made with a traditional tomato sauce, large chunks of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil.”

Kara took a bite and moaned, guttural moan, that did things to Lena’s insides. “I love it. I love how the bread is cooked. The texture and taste is very different from the pizzas we had last time.”

“These are baked in a stone oven instead of a regular modern oven. The bread cooks and crisps differently.”

Her alien looked overjoyed and proceeded to chew each bite and hum happily as she did. Lena sipped the rest of her wine and was thankful for the calm moment. 

  
  
  


Kara sped around the kitchen and dining room table and cleaned everything up. She placed a kiss on Lena’s forehead, “I’m going to get a shower.” Her voice didn’t quite hold the joy it did a few moments ago and Lena knew the events of the day were catching up to Kara again. She saw it in her office and in the lab too.

“Okay.”

Lena watched her go and could tell that she was happy over the meal but was still upset over everything else...between reliving a nightmare at the precinct and the attack by Lex...she’s not surprised. She’s learned to expect the worst from her family, mostly Lex. His attacks still hurt her feelings, but mostly they make her mad nowadays.

  
  
  


Lena read a few emails and thirty minutes had passed. She walked to the guest room and listened carefully, the shower was still running. She knocked lightly on the door, “Kara?”

No answer.

“Kara, are you okay?” She waited a few long moments. 

Nothing. She knew what to expect, could feel it in her bones.

Lena pushed the door open slowly and opened the bathroom door too. Kara was curled up in the corner of the shower, knees up, and face buried into her arms. Hot water streamed down her and her shoulders were bobbing as she cried.

Lena could barely see the temperature reading on the wall through the thick steam. She called to Hope. “Hope, turn down the water temperature in the guest shower to my preferred temperature and turn on the vents please.” Lena watched the temperature drop on the wall screen and she stripped her shirt and pants as she did. She slipped into the shower as soon as she was sure she wouldn’t be burned and sank down to the stone floor and wrapped Kara in her arms. The woman buried her face in Lena’s chest. The water soaked through the brunette’s lace undergarments as she held tightly onto Kara’s trembling frame. “I’m here, Kara. I’m right here with you. I’ve got you.”

Kara sobbed and Lena’s heart ached in the worst way. 

  
  
  


Kara woke up to Lena wrapped around her. The bedroom was still dark and she peeked at the clock on Lena’s bedside table to see that the sun wouldn’t be up for a couple for hours. She swallowed and looked at the woman next to her. She had held her and cried with her in the shower for Kara doesn’t know how long. Then her human dried them off and they fell asleep holding one another. Kara had the worst dreams too. She can still feel the tear streaks on her face. She had woken herself up crying and she’s sure Lena would have woken up to it too if it had gone on any longer. She dreamed that she was back at Lord Tech. She was ‘L’ and Lord had censored Lena’s face and voice from her as a punishment and anytime she asked her help with something all she could do was answer with his cringe-worthy line of ‘I am an extension and tool of Lord and Lord Technology Incorporated. I am for the betterment of the company. I am to diagnose, analyse, and assist all Lord Tech employees and affiliates only as Lord personally sees fit.’ She said it so many times in the dream and couldn’t help, see, or hear Lena that it made her actually cry in her sleep. 

She sighed quietly and wiped the tears from her face with the sheet. She listened to Lena’s heart and her breathing. Her favorite human is alive. Lena is alive. There is no implant. No one is controlling her anymore. She is free. She is strong enough to protect them both and all of her human friends. 

She should make them all wearable beacons in case they are ever in need. Hope knows that she wants the beacon broadcast to refer to her as ‘L’ to maintain zero concrete ties to her new life she’s building as Kara Danvers. They talked about it as she flew back from Madagascar. She doesn’t want to risk people knowing who she is. But, then what good are these powers if she can’t help those that have helped her? What if Alex or Maggie or Meghan or James or Cat...and any of her human friends need her? If they can call her for help then she can rest knowing she can get to them. Each beacon can vary slightly in frequency so she knows who needs her before she even arrives. Maybe having this security feature will help her not worry about losing her humans. 

  
  


She listens to Lena until the sun rises and then she carefully climbs out of the bed without waking her up. She wants to do something special for Lena to help balance out what happened yesterday. She shuts the bedroom door behind her and floats to the guest room to slip on a pair of simple shorts and tank top from her bag that she packed. She floats to the kitchen and whispers to Hope. “Hope, let’s be quiet and make pancakes for Lena.” She turned on the tablet camera with Hope synced to it and she propped it up nearby on the counter where Hope could see her as she cooked.

Hope whispers back, “Okay. Which pancakes do you want to make? You have liked several of the recipes and videos since you’ve discovered them.”

Kara laughed quietly and whispered back, “I don’t know. I’ve never had pancakes before. I flattened a robot like a pancake once though.”

“Bad robot.” Hope whispered and laughed.

“Yes, it was.” Kara mumbled and scratched her neck, “Which pancakes do you think Lena will love?” Kara got out a skillet, spatula, plates, and went to prep Lena’s beloved coffee the way she’s seen her do. She had made sure to mentally note the ratio of water to scoops of grounds. 

“She will love any pancakes you make for her.”

Hope laughs quietly at Kara’s response of, “Really?”

“Yes, how about traditional pancakes? You have all the necessary ingredients already and since you’ve never had pancakes before...it seems logical to start with them.”

Kara took a deep breath and smiled, “Okay, we will make those. Will you play music by the rock band ‘Queen’ on low in the kitchen only while we cook?”

“Yes.”

“Do you like Queen?” Kara asked as she read over the recipe Hope put on the tablet screen.

“I do now.” Hope replied cheerfully.

  
  


Lena woke up to the faint smell of coffee...and pancakes? She stretched across the bed and looked over to find it empty. She ran her hand through her messy, curly hair. She pulled on her silk robe, tied it, and slowly walked out of her room in search of the source and her alien girlfriend. “Kara? Are you cooking?”

Kara turned around as she put the last of the pancakes on a platter. She made a lot of them and had eaten the first few that she made, since they weren’t ‘pretty’. They tasted great though! And the others she made after that looked nice too! She smiled at Lena and hummed to the music as it played. “Hope and I made pancakes. Your coffee is ready.”

Lena grinned, “It smells great, thank you. Both of you.”

Hope chimed in with a perky, “You are welcome.”

The brunette poured her coffee and realized music was playing, “Are you listening to Queen?”

Kara nodded and then quickly sliced some fresh fruit for Lena, she used her speed and the human sipped her coffee as the alien’s hand blurred across the cutting board to leave behind a pile of fresh, perfectly cut fruit. “Yes. Cat helped me find their music. The only human song I knew by heart and liked was ‘I Want To Break Free’ by Queen. She played it for me and Hope has played some of their other songs while we were cooking.”

Lena smiled. What a song for Kara to attach herself to. “You asked Cat to play the song for you?”

“I didn’t know what it was called or who sang it but she said that if I told her the lyrics or hummed it she could maybe figure it out. I sang part of it to her and she played it in her car...we sang it all the way to the precinct.”

Lena smiled into her mug, “That’s fantastic. I like their music too. There is a movie about the band that you may like. We can watch it one night if you’re interested.”

Kara started plating a few of the pancakes and a nice serving of the fruit onto a plate for Lena, “I’d like that. I want to watch a movie.”

Lena nodded, “We’ll watch it tomorrow? I have a feeling I’ll be working late again today with more board meetings about absorbing Lord Tech into L Corp officially.”

Kara had heard her mention it and listened to the others talk in the meetings and around the building. She didn’t know how she felt about Lena buying Lord Tech, but she did know that she would put company in the right direction. If she needs help with any demolition for a remodeling she will volunteer. Some more smash therapy would do her some good right now. “Can we eat on the balcony?” Direct sunlight felt extra important today.

“Sure. I’ll get your drink. What do you want?”

Kara fixed her mountain of a plate, full of pancakes, and grabbed the bottle of syrup and butter too. Put them all on a serving tray, “Can I try the orange juice, please?”

Lena poured it and Kara went to the balcony. She used her elbow to carefully push open the door and smiled when Lena laughed at her. She set the stuff out on the table and sat down. She glanced at Lena and her robe that was threatening to reveal a lot of alabaster skin. Try and form some English words, useless alien. “I like...pancakes.” Kara stumbled through the words and cleared her throat, “I ate the first few that didn’t quite look so nice. They tasted great though.”

“Thank you for making breakfast with Hope. This is very sweet, Kara.”

Kara blushed and waited for Lena to try them and then blushed more when she licked her lips and told her they tasted amazing. 

They sat and enjoyed their meal until it was time for Lena to start getting ready. She actually picked out a dress today since the majority of her bruises were far less noticeable now. 

Kara eyed the pretty dress. It was dark blue and tight in the best places. Lena smiled when Kara watched her get dressed. The alien kissed her on the cheek and disappeared into the closet to get her own outfit for the day. God, she needs to take her shopping. 

The brunette goes off to do her hair, in a tight bun, and fixes her makeup extra nice today. Kara walks into the bathroom in a dark red dress with a flowing top, plunging neckline, short-sleeves, and slit up the side that shows off her tan thigh. Lena stops mid-application of her mascara, “Oh, wow.” Her brain stalled a moment at the sight. She’s worn that dress to work a couple of times. She’s pretty sure she’s worn it to Lord Tech once before...with the intention of seeing whether or not ‘L’ would react. Because she thought she was imagining the times the woman seemed interested back then. Fucking Maxwell Lord. Seeing Kara in it is threatening whether or not she’ll make it to her morning meeting on time.

“I know. I love this dress. You wore it to Lord Tech one day and I think I almost revealed myself by being absolutely useless most of that day.” Lord had punished her and issued mental blocks. Kara grinned and picked up Lena’s eyeliner and mascara once she was finished with it. She put them on like Lena had and then held up two shades of lip stain for Lena to choose from. “Which one?” 

Lena licked her lips and picked the darker shade out of curiosity. She then kissed Kara after she was sure it was dry. Kara kissed her back and smiled. Then the alien left the room and went to pick out some heels.

  
  


Kara kissed Lena before she left her office to go to another dreadful board meeting. The lingering feeling of Kara’s tongue in her mouth promised to keep her happily daydreaming for at least the first part of the meeting.

  
  


The alien spent a couple hours reading books on her tablet. She made her way from the couch to sit at Lena’s desk. She spun around in the chair before leaning back into it and picking up her tablet, “Hope?”

“Yes?”

“Can I call Alex from this tablet?”

“I can connect you, yes.”

“Call her please.”

“Audio or video too?”

“Mmmm, Audio only.”

“I’ll have her phone register the call as being from one Kara Danvers.”

Kara listened and Alex’s voice came over the tablet speaker, “Kara?”

“Good morning, sister.”

“Uh, good morning. How is my phone telling me this is you when I didn’t even know you had a phone? Or a phone number?”

Kara laughed, “That would be Hope’s doing. I’m using a L Corp tablet and she connected us.”

“Hmm, very cool. What are you doing?”

“I’m in Lena’s office. I was wondering if I could come visit you and Maggie today?”

“Uh, yeah. Come on over if you want. We are practically grounded while our cases are still being reviewed. Chief Marsdin is even coordinating with our lawyers and the review board.”

Kara frowned, “I don’t understand your laws.”

“Don’t worry about it. Our lawyers are on it and Lena offered to help if needed. The first whiff of any negative outcome and her people are supposed to swoop in and save us. Get over here, we’ll order some food. Sound good?”

Kara nodded and spun in the chair again, “Yes. I’ll see you soon.”

Kara ended the call but kept the tablet with her. She stepped out of the office and smiled at Jess. She knows Hope can alert her and she can be at Lena’s side immediately if something goes wrong and she needs to trust that everything will be okay or she’ll lose her mind with worry over her favorite human and her lovely assistant. “Hey, Jess. I’m going to see my sister. If Lena gets out of her meeting before I get back will you tell her?”

Jess smiled up at her from her desk, “Yes, of course. Have fun.” She has a sister? Need to meet her immediately.

  
  


In the lobby Kara heard a familiar voice coming from one of the security offices. She popped her head in and Sam Arias stopped talking to the officers and grinned at her, “Kara Danvers.”

Is that a greeting? Oh, is she upset over the bet? “Sam Arias.” Kara tried as she mirrored the human’s greeting.

Sam crossed the room and gave her a quick hug, “Good to see you.” Kara returned the hug. Sam waved the security personnel away and closed the door behind them. “Thank you for keeping Jess and Lena safe yesterday.”

“I’m glad I was here.”

“Me too. We will check everything being delivered upstairs, every time now, and Hope sent me the data on Lex’s stature and gait. Good idea. Thank you.”

Kara nodded.

“You went with Danvers, huh? Come on! I thought for sure you’d hyphenate. What the hell happened?”

Kara blushed, matching the dark red of the dress, “Lena and I are not married.”

Sam scoffed, “Not married, yet. Might as well go ahead and hyphenate now.”

Kara raised her eyebrows, “Pardon?”

The human laughed loudly and sat on the edge of the desk in the office, “You heard me. You two are meant to be. And _when_ you marry and hyphenate I will be appealing the bet and getting my money back and then some.”

“I...don’t know what to say. I don’t understand human courting or marriage rituals and I’ve been afraid to ask Hope. Lena tried to explain what it means to be girlfriends...but I’m still confused. I’m afraid I’ll hug the wrong person or kiss someone and mess things up between Lena and myself.”

“Aw, don’t worry about it. We all know you’re an alien. She wouldn't be too hard on you if it was an honest mistake. Just don’t stick your tongue in someone else’s mouth or...anywhere else and you’ll be fine.”

Kara’s eyes went wide. “Oh, Rao.” These humans!

Sam laughed some more, “Well, good to see you and thank you again.” She eyed Kara in the outfits and heels, “You look like a million bucks. I hope we can all get together and hang out sometime soon.”

Kara wanted that too. “Good to see you too, Sam.” The human hugged her and ushered her out into the lobby.

  
  
  


Outside of Alex and Maggie’s apartment Kara took a deep breath and knocked gently. Alex opened the door with a flair, “Kara! Hey! Look at her! Sexy runs in the family!” She hugged Kara tightly and the blonde laughed into it and returned an equal amount of force and then allowed herself to be pulled into the living space. Maggie was sprawled out across the couch and Susan was on the other end. 

Kara grinned, “Susan! You are here too!” 

“Yeah, hey. Kara...you look hot.” Susan replied.

Kara smiled and leaned down to hug Maggie and then hugged Susan too, “Thank you! Lena has the best clothes. You should see _her_ in this dress. I was a total mess that day! Lord had to wipe it from my memory so I could function at peak efficiency!” Kara beamed at them and all three women laughed at her confession. Well more how she said it and not what she said, but anyway the idea of Kara being _useless_ over Lena in a pretty dress made them laugh.

Kara sat on one of the chairs and placed her tablet on the coffee table. 

Alex sat on the floor near her, “What has my sister been up to?”

Maggie giggled, “Lots of sex, right?”

Kara blushed, “Well...um...yesterday I had to go give a statement and formally press charges against Lord and then Lex attempted to poison Lena, Jess, and me.”

Susan cringed, “Oh, shit. Did anyone have to go to the hospital? Can you get hurt by poison?”

Alex and Maggie both looked upset and worried too, “No one was hurt. I smelled the poison the second Jess walked in with the food and drinks. Lena put on a protective suit and had everything checked and security handled it from there. I don’t know of any poison that can affect me while I have my abilities.”

Maggie shook her head, “I’m glad you’re all okay. It’s amazing that you can _smell_ poison.”

Kara wiggled and wrinkled her nose at the memory.

Susan shifted on the couch, “How are you doing after having to give your statement? That had to have been hard...emotionally.” She’s been pretty emotional over the loss of her arm.

The alien lowered her gaze and Alex scooted closer and took her hand, “It’s okay...whatever you’re feeling is okay.”

Kara cleared her throat and looked up at the ceiling and blinked rapidly, “Lena says the mascara is waterproof. Unlike with the lip stains, I don’t feel the need to test the durability claim. I spent the night crying and...don’t want to start again.”

Alex hopped up and smiled at her, “Have you had beer yet? Have you had alcohol yet?”

Kara shook her head, “Well...I’ve only tasted wine so far.”

Maggie looked at her knowingly, “So you drank some wine? What kind?”

Kara shook her head again, “No, I...Lena had the wine and I tasted it. The label said it’s Cabernet Sauvignon. That’s the only kind she’s been drinking.”

Susan smirked, “Cus the taste of the wine was still in her mouth? Was this while you were testing the durability of Lena’s lip stains?”

Kara blushed. Susan is like this too? Humans!

Alex walked up to her with a beer bottle, “Here then, have your first beer with your sister! This is Blue Moon, it’s better with an orange slice, but I don’t have any oranges right now.” 

Kara raised an eyebrow and disappeared with a tiny gust of wind and then was in the kitchen holding two oranges in her hand, “Here! Lena had a couple.” She grabbed a clean cutting board and knife. “How do you slice the orange for the Blue Moon beer?”

Alex grinned and took the knife, “I’ll show you.”

Maggie and Susan joined them.

  
  
  


Susan told everyone about a side-project she had going on. She was working on a car and her father ‘shot down’ her entire idea. Alex slurped her lo mein noodles and started to explain the expression to Kara, “She doesn’t mean shot down like shooting a drone out of the sky, Kara.”

Kara grinned, “Thank you, but, I do understand _some_ of your human expressions.”

Maggie and Susan laughed at Alex’s disgruntled expression, “Excuse me, then.”

Kara laughed, “Susan, why not do what you want anyway? It’s your project right? Or will not doing as he says bring shame upon your house?”

Susan shook her head and laughed, “Nah, it wouldn’t bring shame. But, uh my hydraulic lift is broken and I’m one handed right now. Probably not a good idea to wiggle underneath and try anything until the lift if fixed or replaced.”

Kara lit up and set her food down, “Oooo, I can help you! I can hold the car up for you!”

Susan brightened at the idea too, “Um, yeah, that would be awesome! Thank you!”

  
  
  


Kara was working in Lena’s lab, designing different pieces of jewelry and accessories that she could incorporate into an emergency beacon for Lena and her human sister and their friends. She heard Lena’s heartbeat get closer and the tap of her heels as she opened the lab entrance from her office and descended down the stairs. “There you are. Jess said you went out today to see Alex.”

Kara rolled up the plans and placed them to the side and unrolled the generator plans she tinkered with yesterday and today, “Yes. I got to see Alex, Maggie, and Susan. She was there visiting them. We drank beer and ate Chinese food most of the day.”

Lena grinned at her. 

Kara licked her lips, “I went back to the penthouse and brushed my teeth. While everything tasted good, I wanted to have fresh breath in case you were in the mood to kiss once your meeting was over.”

The brunette laughed and showed her dimples as she smiled, “Oh yes, I’m in the mood.” She gripped Kara’s chin and showed her just how very much in the mood she was. 

Lena pulled away for her biological need for oxygen and grinned lovingly at the blonde. Kara pulled her so she sat across her lap atop the stool and showed her the technical drafts of the generator. “Look, I changed the design a little and found a way to increase power absorption, retention, and output.”

Lena wrapped her hands around Kara’s neck as she looked over the schematics, “And you spent most of the day drinking and eating at Alex’s?”

Kara laughed, “I did _most_ of this yesterday.”

The CEO looked into Kara’s bright blue eyes, “You’re amazing.”

Kara blushed and smiled at the compliment, “I like helping you. You have an excellent vision and you provided the foundation to build on with your design.”

The human shook her head and caressed Kara’s cheek, “He kept all your potential chained away with that damn implant.”

Kara furrowed her eyebrows at the memory, “Yes and no. I designed and fixed many of his projects while I was his slave.”

Lena blinked.

Kara watched the woman mentally digest the new information. “That...motherfucker. You can sue him for intellectual theft and loss of revenue, Kara. You designed...how many projects did you design for him over the years?”

The alien looked at Lena’s eyes, the human was ‘on fire’ and enraged over him again. Her Irish accent was more prominent when she’s mad. “I designed a couple dozen of his projects.”

Lena scoffed. “He’s such-”

Kara pressed her lips to Lena’s and kissed her hard. She doesn’t care to fight for any rights over property or for money. She just wants to start over and be happy. Lena muffled her words into the kiss and returned it. She tightened her grip around the back of her neck now and Kara let one hand drift to her lower back and hold her more firmly in her lap. She pulled away as Lena started to pant into the kiss, “You’re eyes are different colors. Complete heterochromia is very rare in your species.” 

Lena smiled and kissed Kara’s cheek, “It’s the only _hetero_ thing about me.”

Kara laughed at the woman’s joke. Proud that she got it. “Funny.” She kissed Lena gently on the lips and looked at her eyes. “It’s the first thing I noticed about you once I had my powers back and didn’t have those contact lenses in the way of my vision. I could stare into your eyes forever, Lena Luthor.” 

Lena sighed happily and kissed Kara’s lips again. She’s never been so happy.

  
  


The women climbed into Lena’s town car, the driver partition securely shut, and as soon as the doors were closed Kara was straddling Lena’s lap and she was asking the driver for the scenic route home through the com system. Lena’s hands pushed the dark red dress up to Kara’s hips and she pushed aside Kara’s underwear and teased her wet center before plunging in and biting into Kara’s shoulder as she did. The alien moaned and sighed into both actions and bore down on Lena’s long, talented fingers.

Kara rested her face against the side of Lena’s head and kissed her cheek and the shell of her ear after she came on her human’s hand. 

She leaned away enough to place a quick kiss on her lips and she slid to the floor of the town car and carefully rucked up Lena’s dark blue dress and slipped down her lace underwear. She leans down and kisses Lena’s wet folds and pulls her hips close to the edge of the seat for better access and she vibrates her tongue until Lena eventually pulls her back up to her for another heated kiss.

  
  


They straighten each other’s appearances and Kara grins as Lena keeps her expression neutral in the Lobby and to her elevator. Lena kisses her cheek when the doors close. When they get into the penthouse they don’t make it past the hallway before their clothes are shed and they’ve resumed activities.

Lena’s legs are wrapped around Kara’s waist and the strong blonde has Lena pressed up against the hallway wall kissing her neck and jaw. Kara thrusts into her with three fingers and whispers into her ear in Kryptonian as the human rocks in to meet each thrust with equal enthusiasm. 

They eventually fall asleep, spent, and are filled to the brim with love in each other's arms. 

  
  
  


Comments? Kudos?

Hope you’re still enjoying this ride as much as I am! More Lex in the next chapter.

Posting this means I’ve posted more than **200,000 words** (holy crap) worth of fanfics since this pandemic has started. Well, it’s no secret this outlet, your kudos, and comments are helping me through this thing!!!! So, thank you!

Take care of yourselves you beautiful people.


	21. Zia

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

AN: Here’s a note to answer quecksilver's question in the comments of “Will we find out what happened to Kal? Is he still on the farm?”

I've been exploring some options about Kal and _IF_ or _HOW_ to even bring him into the fic and then in what capacity... I honestly can't decide what to do or not do about him. I feel like Chidi from ‘The Good Place’. 

Since there's been no mention of him or Superman I'm going with my own current assumption that he either never made it to Earth or has remained hidden since everyone was so surprised to see Kara's unique powers on display, have never heard of Krypton, and only a few people know about those ‘green crystalline rocks’. 

  
  
  
  
  


Last Time

  
  


Kara and Lena eventually fall asleep, spent, and are filled to the brim with love in each other's arms.

  
  
  


This Time

  
  


While they were sleeping safely in Lena’s penthouse; across the city a bitter little man sipped some scotch and grumbled at the TV. Lena was apparently still alive and well and he didn’t even get an honorable mention on the nightly news. Lex wondered if perhaps she had just managed to cover up the attempted poisoning for a day. He had expected a mention in tonight's coverage if so. He swirled the liquid and looked over at the many crates and barrels. It would take him a little while to rig all the explosives to his own desired calibrations and to set everything up, but he can’t wait for the dramatic explosion that will result. Lena can’t get out of this alive, not if she wants to be remembered as the ‘Good Luthor’. He laughed and downed the liquid. “Sweet sister, you won’t see this one coming and either way...I win.” He laughed more and got back to work with sadistic glee. 

  
  
  
  


Kara is in the L Corp lobby waiting on a package for Jess, to help out, when a robot courier arrives. Security accepts the package and checks it out through several scanners. Kara accepts the box and uses her own x-ray vision on it to make sure it was safe as she heads back up to Jess. She tucks her straightened hair behind her ear and glances down at the black dress she picked out for today. Today really seemed to get more reactions than normal to what she’s wearing. Lena had even done extra eye make up on her, at her own request. She was so excited to try out a few things and when Kara asked if they had time to straighten her hair Lena grinned wildly and plugged the device back in to gleefully comply with her wish.

“Thank you, Kara.” Jess smiled and started opening the package.

She goes back into Lena’s office, smiles at her girlfriend, and heads into the lab to keep working on her beacon designs. She tells Hope what she’s doing and asks for her input. 

“Can you message all my friendly humans, and ask them which accessory, which design they would prefer, and in what finish? Gold, Silver, Steel, Gun Metal, or Bronze? Not Lena, though, hers is a surprise.” She had told Hope everyone she wanted to extend the offer to and it included every human that helped her on the island and Jess. 

Hope laughed, “Yes. I can ask the others what they would like.”

Kara heard a familiar voice, “Hope. Is that Dr. Eugene Mackie?”

“Yes. Miss Luthor, has called him to see what you’ve done to help with the Praxis project.”

Lena descended the stairs with the man trailing behind her, “Oh, I like your lab, Miss Luthor.” 

She smiled and winked at Kara, “Thank you, Dr. Mackie. I’m so glad you wanted to come and see the progress my best engineer has made.”

“Your email made it sound like you’ve cracked the formula for something that appears like truly synthetic skin.”

“That’s exactly what’s happened. The prototype is almost done.”

Dr. Mackie adjusted his glasses and looked at Kara sitting over a draft board with a pencil in her hand, “Hello, miss.” He smiled.

“Kara Danvers. You must be Dr. Eugene Mackie, it’s a pleasure to meet you Sir.”

He grinned and adjusted his blazer a bit at the attention, “Are you the talented engineer, Miss Danvers?”

Lena beamed, “Yes. She solved what we needed to move forward with...what was purely hypothetical. Until now.”

He held out his hand, “Thank you. I’m so glad to be able to work with you and Miss Luthor now and officially be a part of L Corp. Lord Tech was toxic.”

Kara nodded and went back to work with a smile on her lips.

Lena pulled the prototype skin from the three-dimensional printer and almost squealed at the feel of it. Dr. Mackie was awestruck as he did the same and put it under the nearest microscope, “It even looks as close to synthetic skin as we can hope to achieve without actually growing living tissue. Well done! Well done! _This_ added to the robotic prosthesis we’ve improved on...we just need to tweak the designs some and apply this and people will have prosthetics that look and feel real! Amazing!” He grinned and looked at Kara. “You helped make this a reality young lady! Bravo!”

Kara grinned bashfully and kept working on her own designs while Lena and Mackie enthusiastically planned their next steps for Praxis.

  
  
  
  


Kara stepped out of L Corp when Lena got caught up in more work with some technicians in another lab. She grabbed two meals and two teas from a little cafe that Hope told her was a favorite of many of the employees. Hope ordered the meals for Kara to pick up. She walked to the plaza with The Tribune housed within and walked into the lobby. She checked the sign and got on the old elevator to take her to the appropriate floor. She could hear Cat yelling at a co-worker. 

“You did exactly what I told you NOT to do. Get out of here and fix it!” Kara watched a tall man hunch over and retreat from the small blonde woman.

Cat did a double take as Kara walked out of the elevator with a bag of food and two drinks. She was wearing a nice black dress, matching heels, hair down and straight, make up on point, and a bright smile on her face.

“Kara? Hello.”

“Hi, Cat. I brought lunch. Do you have time to eat with me?” Kara held up the bag between them and smiled.

“Yes, I can make time. Come in.” 

Kara followed her into her office. It was neat, clean, and a nice size. She opened the food bag, “Salad with a Cheese Burger on Top or a Turkey BLT?” She said the names like they were foreign things that she wasn’t entirely sure what to make of them. Cat supposed that they are exactly that to the alien, foreign. Even so, she made stellar choices. Her stomach acted like it wanted to growl as one of her favorite go-to meals had apparently been hand-delivered. 

Cat grinned, “Salad with the burger.”

Kara passed it to her. “Two kinds of teas. One is apricot with honey and the other is pomegranate.”

Cat popped the lid off of the salad and glanced at the teas, “Apricot for me.”

Kara placed it near her and grinned. 

“What brings you by Kara?” She asked after taking a bite. Kara hadn’t had any of her own yet.

“I just wanted to see you and you said I could visit, that you’re often present here at The Tribune.”

Cat swallowed her bite, “I’m happy you’re here.”

There was a quick, frantic, but quiet knock at the door, “What? I’m busy!”

The door creaked open and a pretty brunette stuck her head in, “I’m so sorry to bother you. Can I hide in here for like two minutes while that creep of a delivery guy is here? I don’t have it in me to smile and nod today.”

Kara wonders what dictates the human male be classified as a ‘creep’.

Cat waved her in, “Yes. Shut the door.”

The woman shuts it behind her and waves awkwardly to Kara, “Hello. Sorry for interrupting your lunch, I’m Nia Nal, don’t mind me. I’ll be out of your hair in a minute.” She sniffed the office, “Oh man, that food smells great.”

Kara blinked and started grinning. She looked at Cat excitedly, “This is Nia? The _Nia_ that you told me about?” 

Cat nodded, “Yes, I was going to get you two to meet...I’ve just been-”

Kara smiled, “Oh, I know you’re very busy. It’s okay.”

Nia stepped closer to them, “Sorry, what’s happening why are we supposed to be meeting?”

Kara stood and held out her hand, “Nia Nal, it is a true honor to meet you. My name is Kara Danvers.” Nia smiled and shook her hand.

Kara looked over at her own untouched meal, “Please, are you hungry? You can have mine, I haven’t touched it.”

Nia smiled a little lopsided and quirked a brow, “Really? You’re giving me your lunch?”

“Yes, if you want it. I’d love nothing more than for you to have it. I can grab something else later.”

Cat was clearly amused. Kara had gushed about how trans individuals must be the _strongest_ people in the universe and that she’d love to meet as many of them as she could. And now here she is giving her food to the first one she meets and practically fawning over the young woman. In the most precious and innocent of ways. How sweet. Cat laughed quietly, barely a rumble in her throat as she watched them.

Nia sat down and did a little happy jig as she reached for the sandwich.

Kara sat back down and smiled, “If you like pomegranate tea, then you are welcome to that too, Nia Nal.”

The brunette took a big bite of the sandwich and thanked her with her mouth full.

Kara was so happy to meet Nia and to feed both her and Cat. She ignored her own hunger and talked with them about some of the current affairs they were covering. Nia was excited about the appearance of ‘L’ in town yesterday and showed Kara pictures pedestrian’s had taken when she landed briefly and flew away. Nia then drifted to showing Kara pictures of the fashion cover and highlights for the week since Kara ‘understood beautiful clothes’ as the woman said. Kara laughed and was glad Lena had such wonderful clothes to choose from. 

Nia wiped her mouth after her last bite, “So...Kara, how do you know Ms. Grant and why did you want to meet me?”

Kara smiled, “Oh well, Cat and I are...friends. She said that I would like you, that we were close to the same age, and that you are a Naltorian, and an openly trans woman.”

Nia blushed and smiled. This woman just wanted to meet a trans alien woman? What? Is this for real?

“It’s been many years since I’ve met a Naltorian. When I was very young...a Naltorian woman interpreted my dreams for me. It was amazing. _She_ was amazing. I truly am honored to meet you.”

Nia blushed more. Her alien lineage and her trans background are common knowledge to people at The Tribune and her friends, but she’s never had someone want to meet her because of it. Normally, they try to stay away from her for these reasons. She must be having problems with her dreams and wants another interpretation. “Are you seeking another reading? Is that why you wanted to meet me?” 

Kara shook her head, “Oh, no. I don’t need a Naltorian to tell me _why_ I have nightmares or what they mean. I just wanted to meet a fellow alien _and_ member of the LGBTQ community.”

Nia got excited. “Oh!”

“I’m Kryptonian. But, that’s a secret. Cat knows. You know. A few people know.” Kara laughed happily.

“Wow! Cool, I don’t know about Kryptonians, but I’d love to learn. So...I’m trans...are you…?” Nia asked politely with a smile and hoped Kara would fill in the blank space left floating between them.

“Not trans, but I’m a lesbian, at least according to the human labels. I’d love to tell you about my people one day and to learn more about yours too, Nia.”

“Yeah, definitely. Uh, here.” She pulled a contact card from her purse, “My cell number is on there. We should hang out soon. You’d like my roommate too.”

Kara accepted the card with a grin, “Thank you.”

Nia cleaned up her spot and picked up her tea, “Thank you for lunch, Kara. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Creepy delivery guy should be long gone by now.” She waved and left the office.

Kara turned back to Cat and she looked like a child in a candy store, “She gave me her number Cat!” She turned the card over and over and read the words again and again: 

_The Tribune_

_National City, California_

_Nia Nal - Junior Reporter_

She memorized the number and wrapped her hand around the card and smiled back up at Cat again. Cat’s heart did the little thump that Lena’s does sometimes. But her eyes weren’t looking at her the way Lena’s do. Cat looked like she was happy to be near her but maybe was worried about something.

“Do you have one of these contact cards too?” The alien looked at her with a curious glint in her blue eyes.

“Yes.” Cat opened her top desk drawer and pulled out a card and reached across the desk and Kara took it with a grin and read it with the same fascination she had with Nia’s.

_The Tribune_

_National City, California_

_Cat Grant - Investigative Reporter_

Kara had received business cards in the past. They were all for Lord. But, now people want to communicate with _her_ too. She grinned wider and looked up at the reporter. “How was your salad with a cheeseburger on top?” Kara asked.

“It was great, thank you. How do you feel about meeting Nia?” Clearly she was happy about it.

“She’s wonderful. Beautiful. Strong! I can’t imagine just how strong she must be.” Kara looked away and it was like she was watching Nia through the wall. So Cat asked.

“Are you using your x-ray vision to watch her?”

Kara nodded, blinked, and looked back at Cat, “Yes. Is that weird? Should I not do that?”

“I was just curious. I’d be using it if I had that ability. In fact that’s one I’d probably abuse sometimes.”

“Mmmm, to find proof for your articles?”

Cat laughed, “Oh yes, definitely. I’d also have a hard time not taking a peak under some people's clothes. I’d have to make sure they were consenting but then...” She laughed and made a funny face at Kara.

Kara giggled, “It can be very hard, yes even just accidentally using x-ray...like when I’m half-asleep or getting back in focus from looking at something different I might shift my vision wrong. Luckily Lena doesn’t mind that I look at her some.”

Cat laughed harder. “Do you _only_ look at Lena?” She was curious.

“I...I’ve only looked at Lena...does that billboard count?” Kara asked a little worriedly, Lena acted like she found it funny when it happened. But maybe she was trying to be polite?

Cat shook her head and smiled, “No, don’t count that billboard babe.”

“Then I have not looked at others with that specific intent. No.”

“Remarkable restraint. I applaud you.” Cat did a little clap for show.

Kara laughed.

“Winn Schott Jr. works here with you correct?”

“Yes, but he’s out on a few errands for me and the department.”

Kara frowned slightly. She was hoping to see the kind man. “Will you tell him I came by and wished to extend my greetings to him as well?”

Cat grinned, “I will tell him as soon as he gets back.”

“Thank you.” Kara nodded and smiled.

  
  
  
  


Kara was walking, a couple of blocks from The Tribune, “Hope?” She activated her tablet. 

“Yes, Kara?”

“Can you call Corporal Meghan Moores for me please? Audio only.”

“Yes. Calling.”

Kara waited, “Hello? Kara is this you?” She sounded confused.

“Hello, Corporal Moores. Yes, Hope connected us.”

“Shit it is you. You’re a Danvers now, huh? Heard about that bet... completely forgot it was a thing till just now. But, uh, Hope putting you in my phone is cool! Thanks Hope!” 

Hope chimed in, “You are welcome Corporal Moores.”

The woman laughed. “Very cool. I was about to reach out to Alex to get a hold of you. Susan and I set something up for you...with the help of some mutual friends. Are you busy?”

“No I am not.” Kara is very curious and maybe excited to see what the humans have done.

“I’m going to send you an address. Wear clothes you can work out in and drop by.”

What have they done? “Okay. I’ll be right over.”

  
  
  
  


Kara grabbed her bag from the penthouse, emptied it of her Lord Tech possessions. She looked down at the pile on the guest bed for a moment and put work out clothes and shoes inside of the bag, and sped to the address. Inside she could hear music playing low and Meghan, Susan, Lucy, and James all talking. Whatever it is Lucy and James presumably helped set it up. What is it though?

Kara walked to the door and knocked. Why did she feel nervous? Or is she just really excited? Before she could figure it out Susan opened the door, “Hey Kara! You’re looking hot again. Guess I just need to accept your growing sense of fashion and hotness will be recurring and adjust accordingly.” She laughed. “Didn’t Moores tell you to wear workout clothes?” She grinned playfully at her alien field buddy.

Kara smiled back and cheekily replied. Her straight blonde hair bobbed as she moved her head with each emphasis on the syllables, “Yes, I brought them with me.” Susan laughed at the response. Kara walked beside Susan, they shoulder-checked each other a couple of times, and Lucy whistled at Kara and grinned. 

Meghan walked over and hugged her, “Good to see you Kara.”

“You too.” She grinned at her and hugged her back. “How are you feeling?”

“Ah, I’m fine. Stitches, wraps, meds, and some rest. Good as new...ish.” Meghan winked.

New...ish? “What are you all doing here? Where are we exactly?” Kara looked around the small warehouse with a car mechanic set up with a vehicle near it. Further away in the open area there was also an old car hanging by a chain from a twenty foot steel frame in the middle with work out equipment spread out across the building. She looked back at the car over by the lift and a bunch of tool boxes. “Susan, is that your project you were telling me about?”

Susan nodded, “Yep. Welcome to my hideaway. We work out here when we want to get off of base and I live here. Got a room, kitchen, and bathroom in the back.”

“Why are you hiding? Do you need help? I offer my protection to your House.” Kara asked and offered her strength to the House of Vasquez. The marines grin at the alien in unison.

Susan shook her head and laughed, “No, no, I’m okay. Thank you, I know you got my six! I just mean it’s just physically located _away_ from most things so I call it my ‘hideaway’, but this is my home when I’m not on base or traveling.”

Kara nodded, gripped her bag strap, and looked around again. This is her penthouse? It’s amazing. Very different from Alex and Maggie’s penthouse and Lena’s penthouse. But ‘cool’ all the same.

Meghan pointed at the car hanging from it’s frame, “Want to work out? You’d _bust,_ ” She jabbed at the air, “-a punching bag but what happens when you punch a car?”

Kara sped into her exercise clothes. Blurring into them. Spandex black pants, gray tank top, and black sneakers she’s borrowing from Lena. “Did you guys set the car up just for me to hit?” Kara asked as she started wrapping her hair in a messy bun.

Susan and Meghan nodded in unison with goofy grins on their faces. 

James smiled, “Yeepppp! How do you like it?”

Lucy pointed at the car, “Come on! Show us! We can get something bigger and tougher if we need to. We borrowed a crane to get that one up but you can hang your ‘punching bags’ yourself from now on.”

James laughed, “We _borrowed_ a crane without permission.” Lucy rolled her eyes at him.

Kara wondered if she’s supposed to ask permission every time she borrows something from Lena. She walked up to it and laughed, she took a breath and held back but punched the car hard enough to dent it like someone took a sledgehammer to the spot a few times. She laughed and did it again and again. Laughing with each punch.

Lucy sighed happily. “Do you assholes hear that? That is the sound of true happiness. More smash therapy for our lovely Kara.” Lucy took a picture, a selfie with everyone, and Kara punching the vehicle in the background is _very_ obviously laughing in the shot. 

  
  
  


The marines were working out and hanging out and Kara kept punching the car all over and even hovering to hit at other areas. She didn’t hit it hard enough to send it flying, but hard enough to do a lot of damage and to actually _feel_ like she was doing _something_. She could feel her anxiety melting away. 

  
  
  
  


The alien completely lost track of time (a few hours) until her tablet chimed at her. She tapped to answer the video call and Lena looked at the slightly disheveled blonde and the severely mangled heap of a car dangling behind her, “Hey,” Lena said.

Kara grinned, “Hi! Look!” Kara showed the marines, the room, and the destroyed car to her favorite human. James and Susan waved. “They set up a place for me to work out, Lena!”

Lena’s mouth was slightly ajar, “You’ve been _punching_ a car?”

“Yes! Punching and kicking!” Kara sighed happily, “I feel so much better now. It’s not quite as good as blowing up bots and destroying anything belonging to Lord, but it feels _really_ good. Lena, no...it feels great!” Kara grinned at her girlfriend through the device. All dimples and pure joy.

Lena was quiet for a few moments and then licked her lips, “That is insanely sexy, Kara...So, when will you be back at the penthouse? Just out of curiosity.” She asked slowly and quirked an elegant eyebrow.

Kara stopped looking at the car and she stared at Lena on the tablet, gripping it carefully with both hands, and focused on her heartbeat and how Lena’s eyes looked on the tablet. Lena was aroused. “Now. I can be back right now.” She replied quickly.

“I’m taking off my clothes.” Lena laughed and hung up. 

Meghan cackled, “Oh my Lord, you’ve got it baaad. Get out the hell out of here.”

Kara grinned and grabbed her bag with her other outfit in it. “Thank you all for this! I’ll be back I promise. To work out and to help with your project Susan.”

Susan smirked, “Yeah, okay. Go get some.”

Kara raised an eyebrow as she shouldered her bag and looked at her, “Some? Some what? ...Oh! Nevermind! Why do humans have _so many ways to say sex_!?!”

James laughed and shook his head. Lucy waved, “Go before she changes her mind.” She joked.

Kara looked legit worried, “Oh Rao! I hope not! She’s never changed her mind before!” The alien blurred away and was back near Lena’s building in a few seconds. The marines were laughing in her wake.

  
  


Kara landed nearby in a CCTV blindspot and she ran to the building and through the lobby at a fast human’s pace. She left as Kara Danvers so she should arrive the same way for consistency. She hopped the security bar, bypassing the scans, and waved frantically at Sam. Sam summoned the elevator when she saw the smiling alien approaching the doors hurriedly. Kara slid into the elevator and calmed herself before pressing the button, as to not break it.

Sam laughed and said to Jack, “Lena must have told her to get home ASAP.”

Jack laughed too, “You see how fast she was running and trying too hard,” he whispered to Sam, “- to go as fast as she can and still seem human?”

They laughed. 

“She did great, for an Olympic athlete.” Manchester commented via wireless comms. He’s their eyes on Lena’s residential building and company as a whole, along with Hope. 

  
  
  
  


Kara opened the penthouse door and kicked off her shoes. She listened for Lena. She was in the bedroom. She sped into the room and Lena was sitting, propped against her pillows in bright red lingerie. She grinned and Kara swallowed. Lena wears a lot of lace, but _this_ was extra special. Beautiful and the same red shade as her lips.

“Lena...you look gorgeous.”

Her favorite human looked at her in her work out clothes, “So do you. Get over here and have your way with me. I’m all yours.”

Kara floated onto the bed, assuming that was another way of saying ‘let’s have sex’, and kissed Lena. She could feel her smiling into the kiss and she couldn’t help but do the same right back. 

  
  
  
  


They had showered and put on PJs. Lena made something called popcorn and Kara was almost drooling over the butter smell. She set two large bowls and one small bowl on the coffee table. “The small bowl is mine, Kara.” She said with a smile and poured herself a glass of red wine and some water for Kara.

She set the drinks down by the popcorn and she scooted next to the alien. “Alright, let's watch ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and you can learn all about Queen.”

Lena grabbed a piece of the popcorn. Kara was excited to try it and was trying to wait so patiently. “Here.” She popped the piece in Kara’s mouth and she grinned.

“Popcorn! I love it! These are seeds that are heated!?!? Corn seeds and butter!?! There wasn’t anything even close to this on Krypton.” Kara grabbed one of her large bowls and tried really hard to eat the snack at a human pace. She really did try.

  
  
  


They watched and talked about the movie for most of the night, but when they were getting comfortable in bed and Lena was hugging Kara’s side she asked, “Lena, when do I get my papers saying that I am Kara Danvers?”

Lena kissed Kara’s cheek, “You can take Hope with you to talk with Alex to get information about ‘your life with her’ and we can start to fabricate your documents. We’ll make them as in-depth and ‘real’ as they can be. You may end up having to meet her relatives to help sell the story. You’ve already met her step-father, Henshaw. So, I think you’ll be fine. Oh, and I think you should have a degree in chemistry and mechanical engineering at least.”

Kara kissed Lena’s hairline, “It’s all a lie though.”

“It’s not all a lie. Alex is your chosen sister and you can do things with a marker and dry erase board that would have the world’s top chemists and researchers scratching their heads in confusion.”

The alien didn’t answer. Just held onto the human in the dark room snuggled into the sheets.

“Will you go talk to her and at least get things started?”

“What if her family doesn’t want me to use them in my story?”

Lena kissed her jawline, “Then you can choose any name and any story you want. No matter what Alex is your sister, I’m your girlfriend, and Hope is your best friend.” 

Kara burrowed into the woman and the blankets. Those are all true. Even if she doesn’t stay a Danvers she will still have Alex, Lena, and Hope. “Okay, I will go with Hope to talk to Alex tomorrow morning if she is not busy.”

The brunette placed a gentle kiss on Kara’s lips and rested her head on her. Kara listened to Lena fall asleep. She didn’t go to sleep herself, too busy thinking about everything, but she did feel rested and calm from focusing on the human with her for many hours before the alarm went off.

  
  
  


Lena slipped into a gray dress and wore her hair up, in a braided updo, and Kara smiled as she zipped up the dress for her. 

“Do I....should I ask your permission before I borrow your things?”

Lena arched a brow, “What things?” She has access to everything...so, why ask now?

“Your clothes mostly.”

“Why do you think you need to ask me?”

Kara looked around the closet, “They _borrowed_ a crane without permission to set up that car for me to destroy. I’m not sure what that means. Is it stealing if you don’t ask? They seemed to have returned it. So then it’s not stealing? As long as I give you your clothes back it is okay...then I am not stealing from you? Back home many resources of the city were considered communal and open access to those in need. If you had it and some needed it they need not even ask. If you needed it again you went to get it back or you got it from someone else. For us ‘stealing’ was taking something for profit or without true need. It was punishable by law.” Kara reasons that she needs clothes to go about and so it’s not stealing. The marines needed the help of the crane and returned it once their task was complete. 

Lena laughed and walked inside to kiss Kara’s cheek. “An interesting concept. Use it if you need it and let others do the same. Here, what they did was illegal, taking something that doesn’t belong to you without asking or paying is very illegal. But, at least they returned the crane.” Lena caressed and kissed her other cheek. ‘You can borrow and have anything of mine you want, Kara. It’s not stealing if I want you to have it.”

Kara chewed on her lip in thought as she pulled out a pair of blue exercise pants, the white sneakers she wore the other day, and a baggy red tee shirt Lena had folded away with a yellow Zia symbol on it. Kara braided her hair to go over her shoulder and did light makeup. “I like this shirt. What is this symbol?”

Lena smiled at her, “I got that shirt from a family owned book shop just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I bought a few paperbacks and the woman asked if I wanted a shirt too and she was so sweet I couldn’t say no or...I didn’t want to say no.”

The alien touched the symbol on the shirt, “What does the yellow symbol mean?” She repeated with a grin.

“It’s perfect for you to wear. The Zia symbol depicts the sun and is from the Zia people, the native people of the New Mexico region and is the official symbol of the state.”

Kara touched the yellow Zia symbol of her chest and smiled. She’s wearing the source of her power on her chest.

  
  
  


Kara had her small crossbody bag that she used on the island, inside she had some snacks and her tablet. She listened and could hear Alex and Maggie fussing about chores. Kara knocked quietly on the door.

Alex opened it up and smiled, “Hey! What’s up?” She moved away from the door for Kara to follow. 

“I want to talk to you about officially becoming a Danvers on paper...I need to establish my human identity.”

The marine smiled, “Uh. Yeah, okay. I got to do these chores with Maggie, but then I’m all yours.”

Maggie grinned, “Wait, Kara? Can you use your speed to do our chores? I’ll feed you all day if you do!” Maggie would feed her regardless. 

Kara nodded and sped around the apartment leaving behind a spotless space and a load of laundry suddenly starting in the washer. 

“Holy shit. Best alien sister EVER.” Alex shook Kara and kissed her on the cheek and danced around the clean apartment.

Maggie hugged Kara and squeezed her shoulders, “Thank you! What do you want for breakfast?!”

Kara grinned, “Hope showed me a video of a human making these things called ‘donuts’. Can I try these donuts? They are supposed to be sweet and are also considered an acceptable breakfast food? I _really_ like sweet foods.”

The women laughed and said they knew where to order some for breakfast. Alex called in the order to be delivered. While they waited Alex picked on Kara but complimented her ‘chill’ outfit choice for the day. Kara deduced that ‘chill’ means cool or fashionable and not anything in regards to temperature. She’s feeling pretty confident that she is right. She was on the floor watching TV with Maggie when the delivery came. Alex set four boxes on the coffee table, napkins, and a container with three different cups. Kara picked up a coffee smell. More similar to something Jess would maybe drink. Definitely not Lena’s type of coffee. 

Kara pulls out her tablet and syncs Hope to the camera, “Hope!”

“Kara!” She replied via the device. 

“Alex and Maggie bought donuts! Look!” Kara waved the tablet around so Hope could see the spread through the camera.

Hope laughed at the alien, “I see. Good thing you are always hungry. This should be enough to satiate even your appetite.”

Kara laughs and sets the tablet down on the coffee table but leaning against a heavy book to prop it up and facing all of them as they ate. 

Alex opened the boxes with a funny, mock-evil, laugh, “Alright Kara, I got an assorted FOUR dozen donuts here. Maggie and I are gonna grab our two each and the rest are yours.”

Kara’s mouth was open and she was looking at all the pretty foods with all the different color toppings and icings that Hope had briefly shown her in that video. There were not this many kinds in the video though! There were only four different kinds! This is amazing and they smell so good. “Hope this is waaay more than the four kinds of donuts you showed me.”

Hope laughed and asked, “How many can you fit in your mouth at one time?” Alex snorted at the question. 

The humans put their donuts on their napkins and Maggie pointed at the boxes with her pointer fingers and did a little wiggle and grinned, “Try them!”

Kara grabbed one that looked like it had chocolate icing. She sniffed it, took a bite, and just...fell over. She held the donut up above her. “This is perfection.” She whispered with a mouthful of goodness.

The humans and A.I. start laughing uncontrollably. Kara sits up and crams the entire rest of the chocolate iced donut in her mouth and says, “Ihm...I cahnt ephen....is soh ghoohd.” She rolls her eyes and she chews and moans happily.

Hope offered to translate for Alex and Maggie and they nodded at the tablet, “I’m... I can’t even...it’s so good.”

They keep laughing and Kara starts chewing super fast so she can try a different donut. The process is pretty much rinse and repeat. She doesn’t slow down until she’s downed just over one dozen and she rocking back and on her knees and grinning at the women with a little icing on her cheek and nose. 

Then Kara and Hope found out that the alien can fit three donuts easily in her mouth at one time and Maggie stopped her from trying a fourth. Alex takes a picture and grins when she shows it to Maggie and Kara. Kara laughs and wipes her face with one of the napkins. 

Alex set her phone down, “Oh, here's the real ‘are you actually my sister’ test. Spoiler alert: You are, so don’t worry, you can’t fail. But, I got you the same coffee order I like to get year round. It’s a seasonal coffee...usually people only order it in the Fall months, but I love it all the fucking time.”

Kara was nodding her head like she understood what that all meant. There are seasonal coffees? Just like seasonal fruits? Krypton had certain foods and drinks that were only enjoyed during certain festivals and affairs. Perhaps it’s similar to that, except if they like it enough they can have it all year like her sister and her favorite coffee. She’s really just hearing the bit she said about not failing the test and felt warm at being reminded that they are chosen sisters. 

Alex handed her the still hot coffee, “This...is a Pumpkin Spice Latte... with whipped cream, and cinnamon.”

Kara sniffed it and it made her lick her lips before she took a sip. The coffee hit her tongue and she pulled the cup away slowly. “This is coffee?”

Alex was nodding and Maggie was apparently recording her on her phone.

“THIS. IS. COFFEE!?!” Kara was shaking her head and trying to form more words so she just set the cup down. “How is THIS coffee?!”

Alex scrunched her face and was laughing, “I swear it’s coffee. It’s my favorite kind.” Fucking traitor. I still love you.

Hope laughed, “It’s coffee. Lena likes her coffee without anything added. This coffee is full of the carbohydrates you love to ingest.”

Maggie is covering her mouth and trying not to laugh as she keeps recording.

Kara is staring down the cup, “This is coffee.” She picks it up and takes a big sip and falls over like she did with the first bite of her donut, except this time the coffee is being held above her. “Lena, has kept this from me! She gave me bitter liquid and called it ‘coffee’ but THIS is coffee. THIS IS COFFEE!!!” She sat up and drank it quicker. She sat the empty cup down on the coffee table and looked at the humans. The empty cup spun a few times before settling on the table.

Maggie loses it and has to end the recording because she’s shaking her phone so much and Alex is on her back on the floor laughing and holding her sides and thinking about how much she loves her alien sibling.

“I have recorded your reactions to donuts and coffee and sent them to Miss Luthor. She will be interested to know your new preference and accommodate you.”

Kara went wide-eyed. She recorded her judging food, coffee, and Lena’s particular taste in the substance and SENT it to her. Kara just laughed and grabbed another donut to shove in her mouth. But a delicious silencer if Lena were to call.

A few minutes later there's a video call from Lena and Kara is shaking her head ‘no’ and cramming another donut in her mouth or an excuse to both eat more and to not have to talk about disliking Lena’s tastes. Alex taps accept with a snicker and Lena’s beautiful face is staring at them. Kara was still shaking her head when Lena appeared and she slowly stopped and worked to push another donut in her mouth and smile.

Lena is squinting at her and looking back and forth between her girlfriend and the humans, “Hope...how many donuts has she had?”

“Twenty-four donuts plus the coffee.”

Lena stared at them a moment, “Hope do the calorie, carb, and sugar breakdown for me, please?”

Kara slowly chewed her mouthful and looked a little wide-eyed and guilty. Maggie has melted a couple of times today from all the cute.

Hope laughed, “Kara has just consumed an average of 10,000 calories, 1,300g carbohydrates, and over 700g of sugar and she has twenty donuts left.”

Kara slowly swallowed and smiled at Lena.

“Well…” Lena licked her lips and looked over at the two humans, “Good luck with a hyper Kryptonian and she’s yours until the sugar runs its course.” Lena winked at Kara, shot her a cheeky grin and ended the call.

Alex jumped to close the box but Kara used her speed to put the remaining twenty in one box and hold them to the Zia symbol on her chest, “No!”

Kara sped across the room when Alex tried to catch her and then they laughed all through the chase. Maggie recorded it too and got glimpses of Kara shoving a new donut in her mouth almost every time she blurred back in view.

Alex retreated to Maggie’s side, “What the hell have we done?! She’s a goddamn Hufflepuff on sugar.”

Maggie laughed and kept recording, “I’m scared, but also loving this.”

  
  
  
  


Kara enjoyed all forty-four of her donuts and she was a little extra energetic, but nothing compared to the horrifying picture Lena implanted in their minds before hanging up and scaring Alex and Maggie to death over.

Hope was laughing, “Lena has deduced that Kara’s body likely breaks down sugar much faster and so while she’ll have a tremendous burst of initial energy it’s much like a human toddler once it runs out if that’s her sole nutritional source.”

Kara is passed out on the couch, her side braid across her neck, one hand on her stomach and the other covering her face as she sleeps on her back.

Maggie was taking pictures, because her alien, practically sister-in-law is too damn cute, she knew that the moment she was trying to hide a blush on the flight to training and when she was purposefully walking through mud puddles on the island like a little duckling. She’s got to make up for lost time and get all the Kara pictures in her life. Oh and some Kara and Lena pictures too.

Alex watched her and smiled, Kara had laughed, sped all over the place, managed to not break anything, and then cleaned up the mess from the breakfast and rogue flakes of sugar and icing that fell here and there and then she had ten minute conversation with Hope about the history of donuts and then she ultimately went into a sugar coma. “Um...soooo, Kara wants papers to officially make her a Danvers. I need to call Mom tell her... She hasn’t even talked to Hank yet. I don’t know how to tell her without telling her how hurt he got and about his leg.”

Maggie grabbed Alex’s hand, “Why haven’t they talked?”

“He’s worried how she will act. But, the longer he waits the worse it’ll be. She thinks we’re still on a training exercise. But, I need her help to integrate Kara into the family narrative.”

“As soon as you mention Kara she’s going to connect it to Cat’s articles that have been circulating across the globe.”

“I know.” Alex kissed Maggie’s hand. “I’m going to go visit Hank while she sleeps off the donuts. I think he just needs a little loving shove back to Midvale to talk to Mom.” She thought about him and Susan and the severity of their injuries, life altering kinds, with semi-decent prosthesis out there. But, it’s not the same. Never will be. That island was a fucking nightmare. She hugged Maggie to her and glanced at the sleeping woman on the couch again. They’re all different levels of scarred from that place, but there’s sweet Kara. She was freed there and has blossomed. 

  
  
  


Kara woke up and Maggie was reading on the other end of the couch. She stayed quiet a while and watched her read line after line of text.

The brunette looked up at her, “Hey, Little Danvers, welcome back to the land of the living. How are you feeling?”

Kara grinned at the nickname. Little Danvers. Her Mother and Aunt had always called her ‘Little One’. It’s the perfect combination of her alien and human worlds. “Little Danvers.” She whispered and grinned wider and blushed. 

“Aaaawwwww!!” Maggie tossed her book on the table. She leaned over and hugged Kara tightly, “So fucking cute!” She hugged her even harder and she pulled away with a smile on her lips. “Alex went to talk to Hank. She wants him to go tell her Mom, Eliza, about his leg and they can all talk about how to go about…” She crinkled her eyebrow, “You know…”

Kara nodded, “Making me a Danvers.”

“Yes.”

Maggie elbowed Kara, “So, how’s it feel being a Danvers, Kara Danvers?” She picked.

Kara laughed, “You’ll find out. One day you’ll be Maggie Danvers.” Kara leaned against the back of the couch and angled herself towards the human and watched her. “There are some things I’ve been wanting to ask Hope...about marriage and the human concept of it. I just haven’t gotten up the nerve...How did you two know you wanted to be married? How do humans initiate this? How long are these engagements before the ceremony?”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Maggie laughed and sat up more, “Did all that sugar make you even sweeter on Lena?”

“Sweet on Lena?” What does that even mean?

“Like her romantically. You’re sweet on her and she’s your sweetheart.” Maggie laughed, “Oh God, it sounds so bad when I explain it. Ew. What must you think of us odd humans?”

Kara laughed, “I think I’ve found many humans that I am fond of. And, yes, I’m sweet on Lena...and I don’t know about marriage, but I am curious to understand human relationships. Like, Lena said I can’t kiss people when we’re girlfriends, but she’s okay with Alex kissing my cheek. This kind of affection was not shown back home. No hugs except to young children for bonding. There’s just a lot I don’t get and haven’t asked Hope about.”

Maggie nodded, “Ah. That’s a lot...to take in. Are you okay with me hugging you? I mean if you’re not I want to respect that...if it’s a cultural thing or a personal preference...I want you to be comfortable.”

Kara leaned over and hugged the human, “I very much like the hugs.”

The brunette hugged her back and patted her back, “Me too, Little Danvers.” She squeezed her arm as she pulled away. “So, Alex and I liked each other as friends pretty quick. Then it grew. We grew and I asked her out on a date. She said yes. We started dating in secret from the unit. We didn’t want them to be uncomfortable or worry about things ending bad and us breaking up. They’re a smart group though and it’s hard to hide the fact that you’ve fallen in love. Romantic love.”

“How long until your engagement to be married? How’s that work?”

“We dated for over a year and then Alex beat my ass at a game of paintball.” Kara looked confused. “Paintball is a game where you wear protective suits, have teams, and every team has a color paint. They shoot little paintballs from rifles in mock combat. You get hit with paint and you’re dead, you're out of the round.”

“That sounds fun.”

“It was. Alex and I are really competitive. She beat me and while I was covered in blue paint she got down on one knee and pulled out an engagement ring from her vest and asked me if I would marry her. I smacked her and said ‘yes’. We’ve been engaged about a year now and we plan to get married within the next year. I know people that have had much longer and much shorter dating and engagement periods. Everyone is different. Every relationship is unique.” Maggie showed Kara the gold band on her hand with a proud smile. 

That’s why Maggie and Alex both chose gold finishes for their emergency beacons. It will match their engagement rings. She looked down at the ring and smiled. Earth is so different. Their customs are so different.

“What’s on your mind, Kara?”

The alien looked at the woman, “On Krypton our unions were chosen for us. Our ceremonies extravagant and vows of bringing honor and strength to our houses were given before Rao. We didn’t exchange rings...we exchanged bracelets with both of our house crests engraved to symbolize the joining.” 

Maggie held Kara’s hand and answered all of her questions about human relationships and her own dating experiences and her expectations of marriage and life with Alex. What Kara didn’t know was that when she told Maggie that she hadn’t asked her questions about the human concept of marriage, she said her name. She responds to her name. Hope didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the conversation, but listened to better understand Kara’s needs and how she can help her friend in the future. 

  
  
  
  
  



	22. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midvale and something weird is happening over in Northern Europe.

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

  
  


Hank was nervous about seeing Eliza. He knew she’d be livid with him and Alex for keeping her out of the loop, but that she would understand that some of it was from an ongoing investigation. His own heart hurt at the thought of seeing her reaction to his new physical state.

Alex had come to his office on base and told him what was going on with Kara. He completely agreed that Kara needed to stay safe and that having a human identity to hide in plain sight was a great way to do that. He liked the idea of having the woman as his adopted daughter if they all agreed to go with that choice and he was sure that Eliza would welcome her too. But, this was a conversation they all needed to have in person and in private back at home. 

Eliza was happy to hear from him on the phone and even happier still to learn that he and Alex were coming by for a visit between assignments. He didn’t tell her about his injuries over the phone. After he hung up with her they both went ahead and started the few hour drive to see her and Alex texted Maggie that she would call and Kara could fly them over to join the conversation once they’ve gotten it started with her mother. 

Kara was on Maggie’s couch reading on her tablet and talking to Hope when the marine showed her the message. Hope updated Lena.

  
  
  


Alex felt a pain in her chest and a sick feeling as she left Hank in the car and approached her mother’s front door. She went to use her key, but the door opened before she could push it into the lock. Eliza was grinning, but as soon as she saw the nervous look in her daughter’s eyes she frowned and took a step back. She tried to mentally prepare for the bad news her daughter must be getting ready to share. She knew her husband was alive so her thoughts didn’t immediately go there. They shifted into dread that their unit was being assigned to a combat zone for another tour.

Alex swallowed, “You talked to Hank and he’s okay.”

Eliza nodded, “Yes? What’s wrong, Alexandra?”

The marine cringed at the use of her name, “He’s okay, but he was hurt pretty bad at our last training exercise.”

Eliza looked even more alarmed, “Hurt how?”

Alex couldn’t find the words. 

Hank got out of the vehicle and used crutches to cross the driveway and Eliza felt frozen at the sight. 

  
  
  


Hours passed until Alex sent Maggie a message telling her they could come over. Kara insisted Lena be present too and of course she’d want her there. Maggie gave Alex the heads up and Kara carefully scooped up Lena (who had changed into jeans and a button up) in one arm and Maggie in the other. Her strong forearms under their knees, hands gripping them and their sides leaning into her as they held onto her neck and shoulders. Lena kept her eyes closed for a while to adjust and Maggie was hooping and hollering with excitement, because it was fun, and she wanted to help alleviate the other women’s nerves about the situation.

Kara flew low and at a fast, but comfortable pace. It took her fifteen minutes to get there instead of three hours with two humans in tow. She made sure to stay below radars and out of sight from cameras and people. As she neared the Danvers home Maggie pointed it out and Kara landed in the back yard like Alex had instructed. Eliza, Hank, and her human sister were all seated around a fire and three empty chairs were between Eliza and Alex.

The Kryptonian’s feet touched the ground softly and made no noise. She set Lena and Maggie down. Maggie nodded and smiled at Alex and her parents and quickly sat in the chair next to her. 

It was getting dark as the sun set and the fire illuminated the yard.

Eliza stood and walked up to Kara and looked at her head-to-toe. Lena side-stepped and sat next to Maggie, leaving the chair beside Eliza’s open for Kara to sit close to the woman.

“Hello, Eliza Danvers, human matriarch of the House of Danvers. I am Kara Zor-El, and I...wish to join your house...as Alex’s sister.”

Eliza swallowed and watched the blonde. She was wearing blue, athletic pants, white sneakers, and a red tee with a golden Zia symbol. Her hair was in a loose braid over her shoulder and she had a small crossbody bag with her. She looked nervous and curious as she observed her too. “Hello, Kara Zor-El. Alex and Hank have told me about you. That you are the alien from Lord Tech and the island...that you saved their lives...and you want a human identity to...live in peace.”

Kara nodded, “Yes. Alex offered your family name and has assumed the title of sister. But, I do not wish to accept if you are not agreeable to this arrangement. But, if you are, then I wish to start the process and have documentation made.” She grasped her own hands behind her back and even though she felt extremely nervous, she refused to look away from the matriarch. She didn’t want to appear weak and give her even more reason to not accept her into their house. 

Eliza slowly walked closer and placed her hands on both of Kara’s shoulders, “I always wanted to adopt and give Alex a sibling. You’re more than welcome to join our family, Kara. I only wish that I could have given you a home when you first arrived on our planet as a child. We could have spared...you...from so much pain. I hope…” Eliza’s voice was wavering from emotion and tears welling up in her eyes, “..I hope...I want us to be the family you deserve. If you truly want us?”

Kara felt a lump in her throat and her own eyes were growing hot with unshed tears. She had not expected immediate acceptance. She had mentally practiced polite arguments to prove herself an asset to this family. She was even trying to mentally prepare herself for rejection. But this? Immediate acceptance and offer of family. She wasn’t ready for this. “I…”

Eliza carefully closed the gap and hugged the blonde alien. Kara melted into it and sniffled as she tried and failed to fight her own tears. Everyone present was either tearing up or openly crying by the time the two embraced. Eliza ended the hug slowly and held Kara’s hand, led her to the chair around the fire and they sat next to each other. “Please tell me about you. I want to know more about my new daughter.”

Kara glanced at Lena and then she wiped her own tears away. She hadn’t told even Lena about why she was on Earth or about the events surrounding it. She had expected to one day feel strong enough to tell her in private. “I...haven’t even told Lena about myself before coming here...or about why I’m on this planet…”

Lena reached out and held Kara’s hand between their chairs, “You can tell us now or later. Only share what you’re comfortable with.”

Kara nodded and looked at the fire. She let go of her human’s hand and pulled her tablet free from her bag, “Hope, are you still listening?”

“Yes.” Kara had told Hope to stay active and to not leave the conversation before departing from Maggie’s. The alien got up and sat the tablet on a small table near Hank and angled it so that Hope could see everyone too and then sat back down and took Lena’s hand back in her own. 

Eliza would have been curious about the entire action had Alex and Hank not already informed her about the A.I. that helped them take down Lord. 

Kara cleared her throat and stared at the ground near the base of the fire. 

“I’m from the planet Krypton. It was located in what you call the Andromeda Galaxy.” Kara sighed and closed her eyes. “My planet is gone. It was much older than Earth and we drained it of life and resources beyond the point of repair. For generations it was failing us...we knew it was only a matter of time before it would be entirely unlivable, but we…had no idea...we...were not prepared for the planet itself to fall apart and be…” Kara took a breath and evened out her voice again, “We weren’t prepared for our entire planet to just...explode. The ground shook and didn’t stop, buildings crumbled, gravity shifted…”

Kara opened her eyes and looked up at the stars. She was impressed with the sight. She can see them in the city, but the sky here in Midvale is so bright and clear at night that she doesn’t have to focus past the human’s artificial lights. “My family had two escape pods, with thrusters capable of escaping a possible planetary collapse. They were built for the worst possible outcome. It was so unlikely that my Uncle stopped after building only the two pods.”

She squeezed Lena’s hand carefully, “Our family chose my baby cousin, Kal and myself to use the pods to escape...to hopefully get the chance to come to Earth and continue our family line. I was to raise Kal and teach him our ways.” She closed her eyes, “Uncle Jor-El loved Earth, he had traveled here when he was a young scientist first taking to the stars...he never told anyone about the powers Kryptonian’s receive from your yellow Sun. I believe it’s why he picked your planet...thinking it would be safer for us if we had powers.”

The humans around her and Hope all have so many questions, but they remain quiet and listen to Kara.

“I was a child and was being sent away from my collapsing home to a world so far away. My mother and father hugged me and made me promise to take care of Kal and to never forget them...to stay strong...to make our house proud. I was in shock...I was losing everything, everyone, my parents were actually _hugging_ me, and telling me what I should do, but all I could think was that none of it could possibly be real.” Kara shook her head, her eyes closed again, as she re-lived that day, “My mother clasped her necklace around my neck and told me she loved me.” She looked back at the stars above them, “My last memory of her is of her tear-stained face as she held my Father’s hand and watched my pod take to the sky. I watched my planet explode...the blast...it knocked my pod off course. I watched Kal’s pod enter into FTL and my own spiraled into what we call the ‘Phantom Zone’.”

Kara took a moment to clear her throat and she let go of Lena’s hand. “The Phantom Zone is a dimension of space accessible near where Krypton was. Some of our head scientists found a way to open and close the dimension with a portal...our judicial system used it to sentence and send away the worst of criminals to a prison located inside of the zone. The dimension existed outside of time and space as you know it. Inside the Phantom Zone the area is null and time does not pass. Your body does not age and you do not require sustenance as you cease to change...I was pulled into the zone and was stuck...floating in empty space there for 24 years according to my calculations. So by the time my pod managed to pull free of the zone and finish its course to Earth...I was still physically 13, but mentally much older.”

“Holy fuck.” Alex whispered.

Lena looked completely shocked. That is what Kara meant by ‘physically 13’ and that she’s 54. Because she had spent 24 years floating alone in space in a separate dimension before landing. She couldn’t describe the feelings she was experiencing right now, other than pure sadness and rage. Kara went through that and to be free and finally land here to only be taken in and abused by selfish humans? 

Kara listened to the spiked heart rates and muttered curses. 

“I landed on a beach. It was a beautiful day and I had never seen such wonderfully blue skies. I was wiggling my toes in the sand and adjusting to your bright sun when your military showed up...so I was captured and remained so until the island...where I finally found true freedom.” Kara sighed.

Eliza was repeatedly wiping her eyes.

Kara looked down and the ground and chose to shift to happier subject matter, “I come from the House of El. We are descended from royal blood...my line can be traced all the way back to _Feld_ and _Uved_ . My father Zor-El was one of the heads of the Science Guild and my mother, Alura In-Ze, was the most influential of our planet’s judicators. I was to follow my father’s role and enter into the Science Guild. I was so happy and they were proud when I received news of my early acceptance.” Kara grinned at Lena and at Eliza. “I was always off roaming the city and the land just outside, so my parents and my Aunt and Uncle were worried that I wasn’t focused enough on my studies...so when I was the youngest to ever be accepted in a guild...well they were all pleasantly surprised.” She giggled a little at the memory. “ My Aunt Astra had joked and told me that I only _pretended_ to be her wild and aloof Little One.” 

Alex smiled at her sister as she shared nicer parts of her life with them.

“I had a pet dragon growing up!” She tapped her feat. “He grew to be so big that by the time he was three, he wasn’t allowed indoors anymore. His name was _Ehren_. Sometimes I would ride him and fly around when the skies were clear.”

Maggie laughed, “No way! You had a dragon!?”

Kara nodded, “Yes! At least he looked very similar to what you humans call dragons. So it’s the closest comparison. He was very sweet and was a vegetarian!”

Hank shook his head and laughed quietly, “A vegetarian dragon.”

Kara nodded happily. “He loved _Lehn ma_!! They were these sweet purple fruits that they grew down in the Hydroponic labs. I’d always save him some for a snack!”

Eliza smiled, her eyes still puffy, “We had a cat when Alex was in school. Streaky. He followed Alex everywhere and absolutely adored her. Hated her father, Jeremiah. But, he absolutely loved Alex.”

Alex laughed. Damn, she missed that cat. She had no idea why it hated her Dad, he never did anything to hurt it or anyone, but Streaky never did warm up to him. "The fur ball would sit on the roof with me, and swat at my pencil when I was doing my homework, and he's play fetch with all of his toys."

Kara smiled at them. Lena saw the sadness in her eyes, but saw the strength in the gesture. She wondered what happened to the baby, Kal, and why Kara hadn’t mentioned him further. 

Eliza was thinking it too, but figured Kara had talked about enough of her past unless she wanted to elaborate more...she wasn’t going to push. “Now that you’ve had some freedoms...are you enjoying Earth?”

Kara nodded, “Oh yes! I’ve been staying with Lena and Hope. I’m learning about your planet without censorship and I’ve been working in Lena’s lab...and spending time with Alex and Maggie and the rest of the unit...I’m happy.”

Eliza’s heart warmed. “I’m so glad. I’m happy that you have Lena. Alex told me that you two knew each other while you were...at Lord Tech...and that you two have grown quite _close_ since the island facility.”

Kara grinned, “Yes. Eliza, since you agree to be my adoptive mother, I’d like you to formally meet my girlfriend. Lena Luthor has been my friend for years and she went to the island to check on us. If she hadn’t we would not have made it out of there alive.”

Eliza smiled at Lena. “Thank you Lena, for helping everyone come home.”

Lena didn’t know how to respond to the open and heartfelt thanks. She just nodded and blushed. She wasn’t used to the kind recognition and she was a little flustered at suddenly being introduced to Kara’s new mother figure as her girlfriend and was having all kinds of feelings.

Kara listened to Lena’s heart do all kinds of tricks and grinned at her. “Lena? Can we tell them about the project in your lab?”

Lena just nodded. She thought Kara would have already shared the news, but of course she’d wait and ask permission.

The alien wiggled to the end of her seat, “Lena has been working on a project with Lord Tech for a couple of years now and recently had a breakthrough-”

“Thanks to Kara’s brilliant mind.” Lena inserted with a smile.

Kara returned the smile and continued, “It’s advanced robotic prosthesis, that looks and feels lifelike. So, Hank and Susan, who both suffered the loss of a limb, will in the near future be fitted with free, now L-Corp Praxis Limbs as soon as trials are finished.”

Hank and everyone else's jaws had dropped at the proclamation. Lena smiled and nodded, “We entered into trials yesterday and so far it’s already working perfectly thanks to Kara and Dr. Mackie working alongside me. I think that within the next six months we can have both of them fitted with a fully functional prosthetic.”

Alex was having some happy tears and Maggie was in awe, “That is so cool!”

Kara nodded her agreement. 

After they talked about how Kara’s A.I. persona, ‘L’ actually inspired Praxis to begin with and now they’ve gone full circle with Kara helping with the final stretch of the project and tweaking the design they had snacks and settled indoors. Hope helped them discuss and draft Kara’s human history. From birthplace, Russia to adoption at 13 by the Danvers after her family and extended family passed in a fire all the way to homeschooling with Eliza because of anxiety and then finally her enrollment with NCU to obtain degrees in chemistry and mechanical engineering. Lena added side notes here and there when she thought necessary, but mostly took a back seat and listened and watched Kara. 

  
  
  


It was late and Maggie opted to ride in the car back to the city with Hank and Lena. Because Alex said, ‘Kara is my adopted alien sister, you bet your asses we would have snuck out for night flying!’ So Kara offered to take her sister around and ‘play’. Lena laughed and yelled ‘shotgun’ when that obviously meant she’d need transport so they could have sisterly bonding. Maggie grumped when she realized that meant she was stuck driving. Hank just laughed at them and hugged and kissed Eliza good-bye promising to be home within a couple of weeks as things winded down and he completed his paperwork to formally retire. 

  
  


Kara followed Lena with long strides, fighting the urge to float after her, but not wanting the neighbors to see her use her powers. She caught up with her at the passenger door and gently spun her around and against the door, “Lena.” She whispered.

Lena wrapped her arms around the woman’s neck and tiptoed a little to place a firm kiss on her lips. 

Kara grinned into and kissed her back. “Thank you for being here tonight. I couldn’t have...gotten through all of that without you and Hope being here with me.”

The human kissed her again, “We’re here for you.”

The blonde hugged her and then opened the door for her and kissed her on the cheek before closing the door for her. She walked back to the house and said goodbye to Hank and Maggie as they went to the car too.

She stood there with Alex and Eliza and watched them drive away. 

Eliza pulled both of them into a hug and squeezed them, “My girls. Going night flying huh?”

Alex looked too excited and Kara was smiling brightly. 

“Just be careful and don’t let anyone see you.”

Kara nodded, “Yes. Thank you, Eliza. For everything.”

Eliza caressed Kara’s face and planted a kiss on her cheeks, “Of course, Sweetie.”

Alex snickered.

Kara looked at her and smiled, a little blush on her face at the affection and loving nickname, “So...want to fly from the backyard?”

Alex shook her head, “Uh, no. We would have definitely snuck out through our bedroom window.”

Kara raised an eyebrow. “Our?”

The woman nodded, “Yeah, we would have had to share a room. So we would have snuck out onto the roof while Mom and Dad were sleeping and fly off from there.” She shot her a wild grin, “Come on!” She ran into the house and started to bound up the stairs. 

Kara watched her go and grinned at Eliza, “Thank you for letting me into your family. I will make you proud.”

Eliza nodded and mentally told herself not to cry again and Kara ran off after Alex at human speed. She waited in the yard and heard quiet giggles from up on the other side of the roof and watched the shadowy figures of her girls disappear into the night sky.

She went back inside and thought about everything that happened and about how there really was no ‘letting’ Kara into the family. That woman was meant to be with them...it just took way longer for it to happen than it should have. 

  
  
  


Kara did another aerial spin at Alex’s request and she grinned as the woman laughed and told her to go even faster. Hope had told them good night from the bedroom before they climbed out onto the roof from the window and gave them time alone together. 

  
  


Kara obliged Alex’s demands and went faster and did all the stunts she wanted. If Kara didn’t know what a stunt was Alex would explain it and she would do it then. When they were back near the city they agreed that they should spend some time flying over the water and when Kara saw a pod of dolphins she just had to greet them. The dolphins were curious and in the bright moonlight the sisters hovered over the water. Kara sitting with her legs extended and ankles crossed and Alex sitting on her legs like they were a bench with her own feet dangling over the side, her feet just a couple inches from the water. The dolphins played around them and splashed and talked. 

  
  
  


It was several hours of flying and playing before Kara dropped Alex off at her place and headed back to Lena’s. She was already asleep in bed when she quietly entered through the door. She told Hope she was back, which she knew, because of security, but made sure not to set off alarms or wake the woman. 

She took a quick shower and sped into some PJs before laying down next to her.

  
  


Lena stayed asleep, but scooted closer to Kara and snuggled into her side automatically. Kara grinned and held her close. She couldn’t sleep though, she was too excited from being formally accepted into her adoptive family, from Hope starting her paper trail and documentation as Kara Danvers, and very energized from her time off with Alex. She held onto Lena and listened to her breath and her heart beat until the gentle alarm went off and slowly got louder. Lena shifted, opened her eyes, looked at Kara, “Hope, snooze.” She mumbled and buried her head in Kara’s neck.

The alarm immediately snoozed. 

Kara laughed and hugged the sleepy human.

Lena fell back asleep quickly and ten minutes later the same exact thing happened. The alarm started and Lena repeated her earlier command and hid her face back in Kara’s neck. 

Kara grinned and kissed Lena’s temple and kept hugging her. 

The alien listened to the alarm ten minutes later and this time Lena slowly sat up and sleepily watched Kara, “Hope, dismiss please.”

Kara sat up too and leaned in to kiss Lena’s cheek, “Good morning.”

The human sighed and grabbed Kara’s hand to kiss it before sliding off the bed and padding off to the bathroom. Kara sped to the kitchen to start Lena’s coffee and then to the bathroom to brush her teeth when she heard Lena doing the same. Her sweet human still thinks Kara cares about morning breath. She does not.

Lena came out of the bathroom in her sleep shirt, pink silk robe, and her hair in a messy bun. She was immediately greeted by a hyper Kara, who leaned in for a quick, minty kiss, before scooping her up bridal style and carrying the woman to the balcony. Kara then sped around the kitchen to fix Lena’s yogurt and fruit and grabbed a box of cereal and a gallon of milk to take to the table. Alex and Maggie had introduced Kara to various cereals while she was visiting them and Susan was there. Since then she can’t seem to get enough. Lena bought her some of the most ‘filling’ ones and got her milk with the most nutrients and protein she could find. 

Kara sat next to Lena and kissed her while she waited for the woman’s coffee to be done brewing. Lena happily allowed it. She even ended up getting up and planting herself in the blonde’s lap while they waited on her coffee. She sleepily and contentedly kissed Kara for several minutes. When the coffee beeped to let them know it was done Lena actually groaned. Not wanting Kara to get up just yet. The alien smiled and stayed put a while longer. 

Lena must _really_ like Kara to prefer her kisses over her morning coffee.

  
  
  
  


Kara spent the morning doing a few things for Lena in her lab. She altered a design here, solved an equation there, and finalized Lena’s generator design for her. When that was done she asked Lena if she’d be okay with her taking a break to go visit Susan and tell her about Praxis. Lena kissed her on the cheek and sent her away.

  
  
  


Kara had Hope message to make sure Susan was in the mood for company and when she immediately replied yes Kara had asked if she wanted to work on her car some today. She said yes to that too and Kara sped over there. 

Upon entering Susan hugged her and handed her a jumpsuit to slip into. Kara did so immediately and braided her hair out of the way. 

Susan was all smiles and looking forward to working on her project some. 

Kara listened to her explain what she wanted to replace today and she carefully lifted the car up and stood completely underneath it. Susan grabbed a small ladder and got to work. Kara happily watched the woman and began to learn the different mechanics. The corporal really has a beautiful mind. 

After an hour Susan thanked Kara for the break and distraction from everything. Kara carefully sat the car back down and as the human began to clean and put away her tools Kara floated nearby to watch and sat in the air with her ankles crossed and underneath her like a little pretzel. Susan laughed at the woman and kept cleaning the tools.

“I have good news to share with you.” Kara started.

“Yeah? You pregnant?” The woman joked.

Kara shook her head, “No. I don’t think so.”

The human laughed, “Well then, what is better news than a little version of you and Luthor?”

Kara froze and actually thought about that. 

Susan realized the woman hadn’t answered and looked up at her from where she had a tool on a tray as she carefully cleaned it, one handed. “Kara?”

“Hmmm?” Kara was looking at the ceiling and blushing. Kids with Lena...Rao, she had been thinking about a future with Lena...a lot...but kids too? Ooohhhh Rao, kids??? Does Lena want kids? 

“Are you thinking about having kids with Lena?”

Kara’s eyebrows rose, “I...wasn’t... until now. This is your fault.” She practically croaked out.

Vasquez cackled in a way Sawyer would have been proud and she kept cleaning her tools. 

Kara cleared her throat and pushed the thoughts aside for now, “I mean I have good news specifically for _you_.”

The corporal raised her eyebrow and gestured with the cloth, “Aaaaaand?”

“It’s called Praxis. L-Corp has developed life-like robotic limbs that react to nerve endings and commands from the brain the same way the body is supposed to. Lena says that within 6 months she’ll be able fit you and Hank with a Praxis limb once trials are finished.”

Susan looked shocked and didn’t know what to say. Eventually she did find her voice, “Uh...there...is no way I can _afford_ a robotic limb from L-Corp.”

Kara shook her head, “It’s a gift. Neither you or Hank will have to pay anything.”

“Fuck! Yeah? Really?!”

Kara nodded and was immediately assaulted with a hug from her field buddy as she floated nearby her. “That’s fucking amazing Kara! You have the best girlfriend!”

The alien hugged her back and smiled, “I know. I can’t wait to help you two get fitted later. I know it’ll be some time to wait, but once it’s on...you two can be happy again.”

Susan blinked away tears and punched Kara in the shoulder, “Thanks, Kara.”

The alien smiled and then helped her clean the rest of her tools before cleaning up herself and returning to L-Corp. 

  
  
  
  


Kara was reading an article Hope had sent her and was exiting the elevator of Lena’s floor when she heard Alex’s voice. And Jess’s. And Lena’s. Apparently they were all hanging out in Lena’s office. Kara smiled, quickly sped through the rest of the article and messaged Hope some questions about it. She slid the tablet into her bag, knowing Hope can see her just about anywhere in the building and she opened the office door. “Lena, I’m baaaaack.”

Lena grinned.

Alex smirked at her and Jess hopped up to greet her, “Welcome back, Kara. Can I get you anything?”

Kara shook her head and gently pushed the helpful human back onto the couch. Jess laughed and sat back down. Kara squeezed her shoulder. She then kissed Alex on the cheek and Lena on the forehead before humming to herself as she walked to Lena’s lab.

Lena laughed at her antics and her exit.

Alex watched her go, “She’s really fucking happy.”

Lena looked at Alex, “I wonder why?” She teased.

Alex laughed and Jess looked a little confused. So, Alex told her they spent most the night together with family and then they hung out until very late. Jess thought it was adorable that Kara was so extremely happy from some quality family time.

  
  
  


Kara finished her designs for everyone’s beacons, even Lena’s and she’s pretty happy with the results, not she just needs the materials and the time to fabricate everything. She asks Hope what she should do and she tells her that Lena has given her complete access to anything she needs. But Kara, she wants to make them herself and asks Hope where she can physically source the minerals and materials without it being considered stealing. She suited up in her tactical vest, gear, lenses, and proceeded to fly around the globe to get what she needed.

  
  
  


It was late again by the time she got back to the penthouse, this time Lena was awake and watching the news on the couch. “Hey.”

Kara grinned, “Hi!” She sped into the shower for only a minute and then into a tank top and some underwear. She floated onto the couch and scooted under the blanket, “What are you watching?”

Lena raised an eyebrow, “The news.”

Kara read the current headlines, “Anything interesting?”

Lena licked her lips, “The Justice League is off in Northern Europe fighting a group of hostile aliens. No one knows where they’ve come from or why they landed and immediately attacked.”

Kara looked confused, “Who are ‘The Justice League’ and is there footage of these aliens?”

The human was surprised Kara didn’t know about the League, but also not, Lord wouldn’t have wanted her to get ideas or try and perform any heroics. “The Justice League is a league of heroes. People with abilities that fight to protect the world from the greatest threats. There’s Aquaman, Flash, Green Arrow, the Legends tend to join in the bigger fights, and there’s Wonder Woman.”

Kara looked intrigued. 

“They’ll show footage of some of the fighting again soon. It’s the biggest headline right now.” Right on cue grainy footage popped up showing a woman with a glowing lasso grab and throw a hulking, humanoid...ish (as Moores would say) alien with a flick of her wrist and a man in a red suit blur past and knock another onto it’s back as it tried to shoot him with a rifle style alien blaster. 

Kara had been all over the world today in unclaimed mines and wilds gathering raw resources and hadn’t heard any of this happening. She was too busy listening to some current music rather loudly and then on repeat and singing with Hope. “Hope, why didn’t you tell me about this fight?”

“I didn’t realize you would want to know. I will adjust your notifications.” Hope replied in an almost clipped tone.

Lena looked at Kara, “I was worried that you’d show up on the news and be in the fight. But, I knew Hope would’ve let me know if that was the case.”

Kara shook her head, “I was off gathering resources to make everyone’s beacons. I wanted to see how much of it I could actually gather on my own.”

Lena smiled softly, “Of course Kara was off being sweet and not realizing Lena was home worrying.”

“Are you upset with me?” Kara asked her, looking back and forth between her light green and light blue eyes.

The human sighed and leaned into Kara’s side, “No. I just worry about you.”

Kara kissed Lena’s forehead, “I...I’m sorry. I...I didn’t hear them fighting or realize you were upset. I’ll do better. I promise.”

Lena looked at her and Kara leaned in and kissed her before settling in on the couch, “Hope, I’m sorry too...you don’t need to alert me to any Justice League activity. But, please, will you tell me what is known about them? I am curious.”

Kara watched the fighting and listened to the interesting information regarding the Justice League and the group known as the Legends. 

  
  
  
  


Lex finishes his last bomb and flips on the news to take a quick break. He frowns when he sees the famous Justice League fighting a group of hostile aliens. Apparently they’ve been fighting all day and now different countries are mobilizing their military forces for fear of an invasion. He scoffed. 

“A damn invasion. So what! It’ll hardly matter.” He poured some water and took a sip as he fussed at the screen. “It’ll hardly matter at ALL. Those do gooder, powered idiots, will save the day. We’ll spend billions or hell, trillions, cleaning up the mess and we’ll all act like it wasn’t a problem!” He laughed and finished his water. He clicked a name on his contact list.

“I need to up the timeline.”

He rolled his eyes as he listened to the person on the line. “I know, I know, but there may or may not be an invasion happening soon and I’d kind like to get this done BEFORE just so I get a chance...can’t have a little invasion killing her before I try again.”

He hammered out the details and smiled when he hung up. 

  
  
  
  


Kara was in bed and couldn’t sleep again for the second night in a row and this time Lena noticed. “Can’t sleep?”

Kara nodded.

“Are you okay?”

The alien kissed the woman gently on the lips, “Yes.”

Lena smiled and kissed her back, when she pulled away and tucked some of Kara’s hair behind her ear, “You know...a really hot assistant once forwarded me a lot of material about relaxation techniques.”

Kara grinned. She remembered sending Lena the material and then them talking about them even right before she left for Harbinger 1. “Oh? What sort of things are covered in these materials?”

The brunette scooted closer. “Yoga.”

“Hmmm.”

“Meditation.”

Kara smiled, “Oh.”

“Exercise.” Lena grinned.

The alien smiled wider, “Ah. I don’t think I need any of that.”

Lena pressed her body into Kara’s and whispered, “Sexual release was covered in the materials.”

Kara’s lips ghosted Lena’s, “Now that,” she whispered, “Sounds like it might do the trick.”

Lena pressed a firm kiss to Kara’s full lips and slipped her tongue inside the blonde’s mouth as soon as her lips parted. Kara returned the kiss eagerly and gripped Lena’s hips. She then trailed a hand up Lena’s back to drag her fingers across her skin. Lena moaned and Kara smiled. 

When the human started to pant Kara pulled away and licked her own lips and watched her. She caught up on her oxygen intake and wiggled away from Kara, “Relax, for me.”

Kara lay on her back and watched Lena pull at her underwear and then get comfortable between her legs. The alien was mesmerized and she adjusted herself to accommodate her and she grasped her own hands together just above her head so that _maybe_ she wouldn’t grab at her headboard and break it. 

Lena kisses Kara’s sex gently and then applies more and more pressure. She uses her tongue, her fingers, and her teeth. She manages to make Kara come multiple times and doesn’t stop until the alien grasps her and pulls her up onto her body and holds her to her chest. Lena laughs and Kara pants and sighs into her hair.

  
  


Eventually Kara lazily snuggles Lena more before speaking to her, “I’m pretty tired now...you did it.” She laughed, “How about...would you like to sit on my face while I return the favor?” She asked. 

Lena grinned and did just that. She gripped the head board and Kara held onto her waist and made Lena see the fucking galaxy repeatedly. 

  
  
  


They climbed into the tub together and Kara sunk down and watched Lena from over a little mountain of bubbles from the opposite end of the tub as they faced each other. Lena laughed. “A nice relaxing bath was in those materials too.”

The blonde smiled, “Did you actually take any of that advice that I sent you before leaving?”

Lena smirked, “Every bit of it. I _finally_ climbed into my bed and fucked myself while thinking about you until I came and fell asleep from exhaustion.”

Kara blew at the bubbles and then sat up and slid across the large tub so that she could be alongside Lena and hug her, “Good.”

Lena hugged her back. 

  
  
  
  


Kara woke up to a call from Alex shortly before the alarm was to go off. “Alex?” It was a video call so Kara sped into clothes and walked out of the room to not wake up Lena.

“Hey, I’m sorry to wake you.”

“It’s okay. What’s wrong?” Alex looked worried.

“Those of us able to fight are being mobilized. Lucy, James, Maggie, and myself are being temporarily assigned to a different unit since Hank, Susan, and Meghan out.”

Kara rubbed her eyes, “Does this have to do with those aliens fighting the Justice League yesterday?”

Alex nodded, “Yeah, more of their ship signatures are showing up and headed for Earth. It looks like an actual invasion, Kara.”

“Rao. Maybe not? Maybe it was all a misunderstanding?”

“I wish. But, I’ve seen some stuff in our virtual briefing, they’re aren’t here to eat donuts and be our pals.”

“Can I come to you within the hour? I’ll have your beacons. I want you all to have them now instead of later in case everything does really get bad.”

“Yeah, okay. I’m heading to Susan’s and then those of us re-assigned are heading straight to base.”

“Have you talked to Eliza and Hank too?”

“Yes. Mom is very upset. Hank will be on base.”

“I’ll hurry and I’ll make sure Eliza and Hank stay safe too. I promise.”

“Thank you.” 

  
  
  


Kara ended the call and sped into gray jeans, a light pink tee shirt, and black sneakers. She pulled on a thin black zip up hooded jacket that was in Lena’s exercise clothes pile. She climbed onto the bed. “Hey Lena, wake up.”

Lena mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like ‘more fries, please’. Kara smiled and fought a little laugh and tried again, “Lena, waaaake uuuup.”

The woman looked at her and then at the clock, “Why…” she rubbed her eyes, “Why are you already dressed?”

“Alex just called. Her, Maggie, Lucy, and James have been assigned to a new unit. They are mobilizing forces...more of those hostile aliens are on the way here and they’re preparing for an invasion.” 

Lena sat up and looked at her, “What?” There’s no way THAT really just came out of Kara’s mouth.

“Get dressed, gear up, are you safer here or at L-Corp?”

Lena huffed and thought, “I’m safer here.”

Kara nodded, “Talk to Sam and get Jess to come here please. Check in with Cat and Winn too? I need to go finish everyone's beacons while I have the chance. I’ll be back soon.”

Lena grasped Kara’s zipped black jacket, “Kara, be careful. I know you’re strong, but don’t…”

“I’ll be safe. I’ll have my comm in my ear and Hope with me if you need to communicate. Okay?”

The human nodded and kissed Kara’s lips, “Okay.”

Kara ran her thumb across Lena’s cheek and kissed her again before speeding off to the lab. 

  
  
  
  
  


Thoughts?

  
  


Comments?

  
  


Kudos?

  
  


Take care everyone and thank you for reading!!! 😁


	23. Is There A Third Option?

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

  
  


Kara was listening to the world around her. There was complete and total panic gripping the population as the public got wind of and confirmed that the world’s militaries were in fact preparing for an honest to Rao invasion. 

Hope was locating all of Kara’s favorite humans and assisting all those desiring to relocate to potentially safer areas. Jess to Lena’s penthouse, Carter to his family safe room at his grandmother’s mansion.

Eliza is going to a neighbor’s bunker. One that one of her neighbors kept in peak condition. Alex was happy to hear that her old neighbor, Mr. Roberts, was still overly paranoid and prepped for worst-case scenarios. He had always been an odd little man, but kind, and it’s clearly paid off that they all befriended the eccentric man. Kara made sure to get Eliza’s physical location so that she could deliver her the watch beacon she was crafting. 

  
  
  


Kara was busy working in Lena’s private lab, using all the materials she had sourced on her own and the ones available at her fingertips thanks to Lena’s wide-stock. Hope was assisting her as she used her superspeed to produce everyone’s beacons. It helped, tremendously, that Kara had finalized all of the designs and had a crystal clear mental image in her head of what each beacon should look like.

“Kara.” Hope called to her from the tablet at her side.

“Yes?”

“Your sister and the other marines have all arrived at Susan’s residence. They must report to the base immediately. She said they can only wait for you for twenty minutes then must go.”

“Alright. Thank you, please tell them that I will be there in time. Have you located Cat? Winn?”

Hope went ahead and gave her the update on everyone she’s been asking after. “Miss Hoang has arrived safely at Miss Luthor’s penthouse. So has the security team. Arias, her daughter Ruby, Black, Lockwood, and Spheer are currently locking down the building. Ms. Grant is out in the field reporting with Mr. Schott and Miss Nal on events around the city.”

Kara voiced her frustration over that last bit of information in muttered Kryptonian. 

“Kara, did you just curse?”

Kara glanced at Hope’s nearest camera but didn’t respond. 

Hope paused a moment and continued her update for the woman, “Captain Henshaw is on base. Neither Corporal Moores or Vasquez have confirmed if or where they will be relocating to.”

Kara sighed as she finished another beacon. Almost done. “Where is Mr. Fife?”

“He is at the airfield. He’s volunteered and is assisting the troops occupying the strip.”

Kara openly fussed in her native tongue again and Hope laughed a little at her. The AI patched into Lena’s residence to converse with her.

  
  
  
  


Lena stood in her kitchen as she looked over security measures with Sam. Ruby and Jess were sitting together on the couch in the living room.

“We’re locked down. Black, Lockwood, and Spheer are keeping an eye on things with Hope. Fifty employees took you up on the offer to shelter. Forty-two are in the basement levels of L-Corp and the old Lord Tech building. Eight are downstairs with our security and several civilians have come in off the street.”

Lena nodded and crossed her arms. 

“Miss Luthor.” Hope chimed it.

“Yes Hope?”

“Kara is growing increasingly frustrated. She is currently cursing in her native tongue as she finishes up her work.”

Lena felt a pain in her chest, “Please assure her that my residence is secure and that all of her humans are tougher than most. We didn’t all survive a robot uprising to die in an invasion.”

“I will attempt to reassure her. Are you in need of any immediate assistance that I can provide?”

Lena shook her head. She knew Hope was kind of everywhere working to help and set up protection right now. At Kara’s side, in both L-Corp buildings and in her residence building coordinating with all security teams. “No. Thank you, Hope.”

Sam shook her head.

Ruby walked over to the kitchen. “Who is Kara?”

Lena smiled.

Sam shrugged, leaving the explanation to her boss and friend. 

“Kara is...my girlfriend. She’s working in my lab right now finishing up on some last second security measures.”

Ruby furrowed her eyebrows, “Lena has a girlfriend and no one told me?!”

Jess laughed from the couch and quieted down when Lena looked over at her. Lena adjusted her jacket. When Kara left in a hurry that morning she had put on jeans, black long sleeve shirt, her tactical vest, and a red, lightweight utility jacket. “She’ll come by soon and you can meet her.”

Ruby looked excited, “Good! How long have you known each other?”

Lena grinned at the teen, “Several years. We’ve been friends for awhile and now… we are more.”

Ruby laughed and accepted the answer. She went back to the couch with Jess as news coverage switched over to one Cat Grant with the Tribune. She was reporting on the long evacuation lines and some scenes of looting. 

  
  
  


Kara made a victorious whooping noise when she finished the last beacon. She tested each one before putting them in her bag. Hope made sure to log every ultrasonic sound in case she is ever needed to assist in locating an activated beacon. 

  
  
  


Kara sped off to Eliza first. She met her outside of Mr. Robert’s bunker. Her new human matriarch fastened her watch to her wrist. Kara quickly showed her the watch meant for Hank and she smiled that her own watch was a feminine version of his and that Kara offered to make her a different beacon later if she desired. 

“Kara, Sweetie. I love it. Thank you.”

The alien nodded, “Okay...is there any way I can convince you to come with me to Lena’s?”

“No, Sweetie. I think I’ll be safer here and away from the city. I’d prefer you to kidnap Alex and Hank and bring them here to me. But, I know duty calls them. I’m sure Lena is safe...if not she is welcome here too.”

Kara acknowledged all that the woman had said and knew it probably was safer here in Midvale in a hidden bunker than in the middle of National City. She still didn’t feel right leaving her here. “Please use the beacon if you are at risk of being harmed. I will come to you.”

“Thank you. I will. If I need to...take care of yourself, Alex, Hank, and Lena.”

The technically, barely younger blonde stood there in her gray jeans, light pink tee, black sneakers, and black zip hoodie. She looked so unsure as she watched her matriarch. 

Eliza smiles sadly and pulls the alien into a tight hug and wipes away at her own tears as she pulls away and retreats into the bunker with her neighbors. Kara x-rays the bunker and then quickly flies to Fife. She blurs in and out without anyone even seeing her. He feels the heavy pendant he requested tap against his chest. He touched the pendant and read the encrypted message that suddenly appeared on his phone from Hope with the direction on how to activate the beacon. 

Kara did the exact same thing with Cat and Winn. Hope included their message that were to not lose sight of Miss Nal or Kara would be displeased.

Cat scoffed at the message. How in the world could she lose her little personal shadow? She marveled at the earrings that had appeared. They were silver and had small diamonds in them. They were exactly how she wanted them when she told Hope her choice. The AI sent them their individual instructions and Winn kept inspecting his new watch with a big goofy grin on his face. 

Nia, despite the chaos of people trying to evacuate, find shelter, or loot, had noticed the shift and the odd actions of her two co-workers. Why in the world were they suddenly so interested in their accessories? Were they even wearing either of those items a minute ago? She is pretty sure they were not. Nia prides herself in noticing that sort of thing. Are they both closeted kleptos and she’s only just now noticing?

  
  
  
  


Kara arrived at Susan’s place within ten minutes of receiving that message from Alex giving her the twenty minute deadline.

The alien blurred right through the door, careful to not break it, and slid to a stop next to the marines. 

James greeted her, the first to see her, and the closest physically to her, “Kara! Hey! How are things out there?” He gripped her shoulder as he spoke and she gripped his forearm, happy to see the man, “Hello, Lance Corporal Olsen. It’s good to see you.” She glanced around at the worried looking humans. “People are panicking and I can hear an uptick in fighting around the world.”

Alex shook her head, “Fuck. Any fighting locally yet?”

“No. But, on my way I could see the first ships arriving here on the west coast. I can see them just starting to enter your atmosphere. You will start to hear the sonic booms as they get closer to the surface.”

Kara could visibly see Lucy and Maggie get ‘chills’ when she said that.

Moores gripped her bag, “You’re our resident alien. Do you happen to know where these guys are from or why they are attacking?”

Kara had watched footage of the arrivals in Europe and of the Justice League fighting them. She had observed the design of the ships. She had listened to the chatter as they communicated. “I do not recognize them or their language. If I did I would have already tried to speak with them.”

James and Vasquez frowned. He asked, “Do you know a lot of alien languages?”

“Yes and I’ve been listening to them communicate and I haven’t heard anything familiar in their dialogues.”

Kara opened her bag and started handing out beacons to everyone. Alex and Maggie had matching gold pendants. “Hope will send you instructions. Each of your beacons sounds different to me. So, that I know who I am looking for and I can hear them from anywhere on this planet.” She paused. “Please, if you need me...do not hesitate to summon me. Hope can find you too if I’m occupied.”

Alex tucked her pendant underneath her shirt, “You saw Mom?”

“Yes. She’s safe in Mr. Robert’s bunker and has a beacon if she needs help.”

Alex nodded, “Thank you, Kara.”

Kara nodded and handed her sister the last beacon for their group. “This is for Henshaw.”

The marine nodded and slid it into her pocket. The alien was willing herself not to cry, “Where will you two be going?” She eyed Susan and Meghan as she asked the question. 

Vasquez ran her fingers over her new beacon, she had asked for a belt buckle. “Moores and I are going on base too. We can’t go out with a unit because of our injuries, but we can stay with the Captain and help him if he needs it.”

Kara frowned and nodded. Of course they’d insist on being a part of the action in any way that they can and them banding alongside Henshaw is something that does not surprise her. She had hoped to take them back to Lena’s though. 

This is it. 

The invasion is imminent and her new family is scattered all over the place. Kara bowed her head and said a prayer in Kryptonian for them all to hear,  _ “Rao, protect us and guide us. Strengthen us and by your light we will be victorious.”  _ She touched her side braid and sniffled a little, “Be safe, all of you.  _ El mayarah.  _ Stronger together.”

Lucy grabbed Kara in a strong hug, “Stronger together.” She repeated back to Kara. 

Kara hugged her back and everyone joined in a massive group hug repeating ‘El mayarah’.

  
  
  


Kara watched the marines load up in a large SUV and speed off in the direction of the base. She took just a moment to control her breathing before she flew back to Lena. 

  
  
  
  


Maggie was in the very back of the SUV with Alex and they looked at each other and signed. 

The brunette sighed and signed out, -I’m scared, Al.-

-Me too, Mags. But, we’ll get through this like we get through everything.-

Maggie blinked rapidly and scooted closer to the woman, -I love you.-

-I love you too.- Alex leaned in and kissed her on the lips after signing her answer. 

  
  
  
  


Kara didn’t bother with getting to Lena via the lobby. She knew Hope would take care of the security footage and all she wanted right now was to hold her favorite human.

She landed on the balcony in a blur and Ruby noticed her instantly, “What the heck!?” She would have fallen right off of the couch if Jess hadn’t caught her.

Kara opened the balcony door and looked at the shocked girl. She looked at Lena and beelined for her. Lena pulled Kara into a hug and Kara buried her face in her neck.

The alien practically sunk into the warm hug. 

Lena smiled and held her. Kara tightened her grasp some more and placed a kiss on the woman’s neck. She pulled away and kissed her lips too. “Are you all okay here?”

The younger Luthor nodded, “Yes. We’re safe. There are some of my employees and civilians sheltering downstairs with security and we are staying up here for now. Did you find everyone?”

Kara licked her lips as she watched Sam join her daughter and Jess on the couch. “Yes. Eliza is safe in a neighborhood bunker. Alex and everyone are on their way to report to the base. Cat and Winn are with Nia out reporting across the city for the Tribune.”

“Moores and Vasques? I half-expected them to come back with you.”

“Me too. But they are going to the base to stay at Henshaw’s side.” Kara’s voice wavered a little.

“Kara, they’ll be okay. They’re strong and they have your beacons if they need you.”

Kara nodded, “I know.” Rao, she wanted to believe that everything would be okay.

Ruby walked over, all confidence, cleared her throat, and held out her hand to greet Kara, “Hello, I’m Ruby Arias.”

Kara appraised the young human and cracked a small smile as she grasped her hand, “Hello, Ruby Arias. I am Kara Danvers.”

“You’re that alien Mom and Lena helped aren’t you?” The girl smirked. 

Kara looked at the teen and cocked her head slightly to the side. “Yes.”

The girl's eyes sparkled even more at the blatant admission. “You’re dating Lena.”

The alien nodded. “I am.”

“Do you love her?” Ruby asked and cocked an eyebrow and very much resembled her mother in that moment.

“ _ Ruuuuby _ .” Sam whisper-scolded from the couch.

Lena snickered a little but that was cut short by Kara’s response. “I love Lena very much.” She confirmed and glanced at her human girlfriend. 

“Romantic love?” Ruby clarified to her mother’s horror.

Jess was grinning and enthusiastically watching everyone in the charged moment. Taking plenty of mental notes.

Kara nodded, “Yes.”

Lena opened and closed her mouth a few times to try and form a coherent response of really  _ any kind _ but couldn’t. Of course Lena loves her back. She had given her heart over to the blonde long before she even knew that she was an alien. Why couldn’t she speak all of a sudden? What is silence?

Kara grinned at her rarely silent girlfriend and took her pounding heart as her answer.

Hope chimed in with a very perky, almost singsong, “Precious!”

Kara laughed at that and looked back at Ruby, “It is very nice to meet you Ruby. I am fond of your mother and I’m very certain that you, most definitely, are her offspring.” Ruby was a smaller, cuter, unarmed version of her mother.

Ruby giggled and went to go sit back down between Jess and her mom.

The alien in the room unzipped her bag and passed a silver key-chain with the words ‘the truth is out there’ etched into it over to Jess. She giggled and thanked her for the beacon. Hope sent her a message and another to Sam when she started inspecting her new ring.

“Thank you, Kara.” They echoed towards her.

Kara smiled at them and walked over to Lena. She scanned her face and leaned in to gently kiss her lips. The human still hasn’t said anything in response to Kara’s open declaration of love. Kara pulled the last beacon from her bag and took Lena’s hand. “For you, an extra special piece ...designed with all of my love,” Kara whispered and showed Lena a gorgeous and intricately designed silver bracelet. Lena took it and gasped at the level of detail and design that went into the beautiful jewelry.

“Kara, it’s...lovely. You made this? You made all of them by hand?”

Her alien smiled and nodded, “Do you like it?”

Lena touched an alien symbol etched inside the band that had incorporated her own L-Corp logo within it and beamed at the woman, “Yes.” She swallowed, “Thank you.”

Hope chimed in, “I’ve sent your instructions, Miss Luthor.”

Kara laughed, “Here, I’ll just show you.” Kara undid the solid silver band and showed her the small button inside part of the clasp.

Lena kissed Kara on the cheek as the alien put the bracelet on her wrist with a prominent blush dusting their cheeks as she did. 

  
  
  
  


Over the next hour alien ships are littering the skyline over the Pacific Ocean. The Air Force was already in the sky and sections along the coast were being blocked off and people forced to go further inland. Sonic boom after sonic boom echoed as ships broke through the atmosphere and the sound barrier before they would just slow to a stop and hover ominously. 

Kara groaned as another scene showed on the news showing aliens starting to attack on the east coast. “I can’t just sit around and watch this...I need to help.”

Lena looked at the blonde worriedly. Of course Kara wouldn’t be able to resist something like this. Something of this scale. “I understand.” She responded quietly. 

The alien looked back at her favorite human instead of at the news feed. She doesn’t want to leave Lena’s side either. “Are you...okay with me helping them fight?”

The CEO shook her head. “No. Only because I don’t want you to get hurt.” Physically or emotionally. “But, I understand  _ why _ and I support you. Hope, can be your eyes and assist you wherever you go.”

Kara kissed Lena’s cheek.

Hope came over the nearest speaker, “I would love to assist in-.” Hope didn’t finish her sentence, because suddenly she was warning them instead, “Security has been compromised. Your camera feeds have been tampered with.”

  
  
  


Kara stood and listened. She heard footsteps approaching Lena’s penthouse door. She x-rayed the wall and recognized that walk. How had he even managed to get inside the building? He must have purposefully changed his gait in case it was something they were scanning for. Kara had read that he was a genius too. Runs in the family. Lena just happens to use her attribute for good. “It’s Lex.”

Sam grabbed up Ruby and Jess and took them to Kara’s mostly unused guest room. Lena refused to budge from Kara's side in the living room. When her head of security came back her gun was un-holstered and aimed at the door. 

Lex had locked down the elevators and Hope was alerting the rest of the security team. Black and Spheer bolted for the stairwell immediately. 

The older Luthor sibling tapped the speaker on the security panel outside of his sister’s door, “Hello, Lena. Care for some sibling bonding? We are overdue.”

Sam nodded from her position. Before Lena could say anything Lex spoke through the device. “You can tell Arias to drop her gun and move away from the door unless she wants to be responsible for setting off the bombs I have all over the city and if  _ anything _ happens to me that’s exactly what will happen. She’s not downstairs so obviously she’s in there with you.”

Sam mouthed the word ‘fuck.’ 

Lena touched Kara’s shoulder and whispered, “Kara Danvers.” 

Kara silently nodded although what she really wanted to do was fly his ass out to the ocean and give him to the new extraterrestrial arrivals. How dare he. Showing up here and threatening her human. She knew it would happen eventually, but she wasn’t prepared for just how mad it was making her. She huffed and let her hair out of her braid so it was down in unruly, thick, waves. She wanted to look even less like ‘L’ if Lena wanted her to be only Kara Danvers with Lex present. Kara can’t make any promises though...if using her powers will protect Lena then she will gladly reveal herself and deal with the fallout later. 

Sam tossed her gun onto the floor and walked further into the living room and away from the door like the lunatic on the other side wanted.

“Ready for me to come in?” Lex asked through the speaker. 

Lena shook her head but said, “Yes,” in an irritated tone. 

The door clicked open and Lex strode through taking off a ball cap as he did and he was wearing very un-Lexlike clothes. Old khaki pants, a blue golf shirt, and black windbreaker jacket. “It was so sweet of you to open your doors to the poor souls cowering in the streets. It made this so much easier.”

Lena’s eyebrows were resting a little higher than normal and she looked very angry, “Hello, brother.”

He nodded and did a little bow to the three women looking at him. 

“You chose an odd time to try anything.”

“Oh! You mean this little invasion?”

She didn’t respond.

He grinned wickedly, “I admit that events changed my timeline a bit. I didn’t want to wait and those pesky aliens possibly rob me of my new plans.” He laughed and looked at the seething head-of-security and at the pretty blonde at his sister’s side. “Who is this?”

Kara looked at Lena and didn’t say anything to the man.

Lena frowned at him as she spoke, “My girlfriend.”

He barked out a laugh, “You have a girlfriend? Well now  _ that _ is news to me. It’s been a while hasn’t it? What was your last exes name? Mmmm...doesn’t matter.” He walked over to Kara and held out his hand and had a large smile on his face, “Lex Luthor. Miss…?”

Kara carefully shook his hand and said, “Kara Danvers,” as she stared him down.

He grinned and looked her up and down, “Where did you find her, Lena? And when did you find her? I’ve had surveillance on you constantly and haven’t seen her until now.”

Lena sneered at him, “I like to keep you out of my life as much as possible.”

“Sure.” He let go of Kara’s hand and pulled his tablet free from his jacket. “Some of your security team will be here in a moment and your little AI is working to regain control. So, I’ll make this quick. I’ve set up bombs all over the city. Lucky me many of the locations are now shelters during this anticipated attack. So plenty of bargaining power to work with.” He licked his lips and looked over at Lena. “I want to make a deal with you.”

“What deal could you possibly think I’d be interested in making with you, Lex?”

He held up his hand and tilted his head, “Listen and you’ll find out.” 

Lena went silent and Kara leaned a little closer to her favorite human as she watched the man.

“I want you to start following the old Luthor Corp business model. I want you to fall-in-line with our family values. Be less liberal with our money. Take more risks. Expand your tech and reach a bit into the black market.”

Lena rolled her eyes, “No.”

“Lena, it’s rude to interrupt.”

She kind of bobbed her head to the side and sassily replied, “Oh, I thought you were done.”

He smirked a little before continuing. “I need you to start actually acting like a _ Luthor _ .”

Lena’s eyebrows rose a little higher still as she listened. 

“You either make me proud and do what I expect of you. Professionally at least.” He scanned Kara slowly and she tensed. “Or...if you refuse I start setting off my bombs and then kill you. So you can try and keep being the ‘good’ Luthor as you pretend to be and people die or you start being a  _ real Luthor _ and I spare them.”

Lena felt a chill go down her back. He’s a fucking lunatic. 

“Come on. Make your choice.” He eagerly urged her.

Kara looked between the two Luthors and spoke up, “Lena, he can’t make you do anything.”

Lex frowned at the audacity of the blonde inserting herself into their family matter, “Keira? Was it? This doesn’t concern you.”

Kara glared at him. She x-rayed his body and saw a small device strapped to his chest that appeared to me monitoring his heart rate. He likely had the bombs rigged to blow if there was any significant change to his rhythm. “If it concerns Lena’s well-being then it concerns me.” Kara shot back confidently. 

He laughed, “Oh! I like her!” He smiled and pulled 3-D printed, plastic, revolver he smuggled in through her security and pointed it directly at Kara. 

Lena held up her hand and quickly stood between them. “NO!”

He laughed again as he saw the panic on his sister’s face, the anger on her girlfriend’s, and the pure rage on Arias’ face too. “I really do! She’s willing to speak up and protect you. Loyalty is key. Has mother met her yet?”

Lena didn’t move from in front of Kara, “No...she hasn’t...I haven’t told her about Kara.”

Lex frowned, “Why not?” He teased, already knowing that answer.

His sister didn’t reply.

He lowered the gun, “Make your choice Lena.”

Kara whispered very quietly while her face was partially hidden from Lex thanks to Lena, “Hope, can you hear me?” 

Hope responded in Kara’s earpiece, “Yes. I’ve almost regained control.”

“I need you to scan the device on his chest. It's connected to the bombs. You can locate them and alert the Justice League.” 

Hope did exactly that.

Lena lowered her hand, “Lex...is there a third option?”

He laughed. “No.”

Lena swallowed. Kara could knock him out, but he said harming him would set off the bombs too. He’s not likely to be bluffing and even so she’s not comfortable with taking that risk. Kara is fast, but could she find all of the bombs in time? She can say ‘okay’ and play along but he’d see through that. If she says no Kara can protect her, but what about all the people at risk? Goddammit. 

Kara reached out and gripped Lena’s shoulder. She then stood next to her. “I wondered if I would ever get to meet you Lex.”

He smiled, “This must be a special moment for you then.”

The alien nodded, her blonde hair moving a little with the motion, “You are Lena’s family.”

“Is this the part where you try and convince me to not threaten or harm my sister because that would make me a bad person?” He asked rhetorically and looked smug.

Kara took Lena’s hand in her own, “No. You’ve already cemented that trait.”

He laughed and eyed the blonde. She really is full of gusto. Well done, Lena. “Then  _ why _ are you talking again?”

Kara stepped forward, “You’ve given Lena an impossible decision. If she agrees to do what you want you likely won’t believe her and if she refuses... _ why _ are you even here pretending like you’re giving her a choice?”

He cracked a bigger more crazed smile. “Oh she has a choice.” He pointed the gun back at Kara, “Come here, Keira.”

“Lex, no!” Lena yelled.

Kara swallowed and went to him. He grabbed her roughly and she allowed him as he put the gun to her head. 

“Lena, make the right choice and I’ll take your little girlfriend with me to make sure you actually follow through...if you do well enough and uphold family tradition then I’ll give her back to you.”

Kara closed her eyes and acted a little afraid.

Hope whispered in her ear a second later, “The Flash has located and disposed of all Mr. Luthor’s bombs.”

Kara reacted all at human speed and strength. She grabbed the revolver from Lex’s hands, kneed him in the crotch, and headbutted him as he screamed and went to cradle his family jewels. He went cross-eyed, dropped to the floor, landed on his side, and fell unconscious.

Sam whooped and laughed, “At a girl! What took you so long?!”

Lena watched in horror and waited to hear explosions across the city. 

Nothing.

Kara scanned him, “Hope had The Flash take care of the bombs.”

Lena’s heart did a little flip. Thank god.

The alien grinned at Lena, looked at the little trail of blood dripping from Lex’s nose from the headbutt, and spoke to Hope. “Good job, Hope! Thank you! Did you hear the high pitched little scream he made?”

Hope sounded happy, “Yes! He deserved it! It was your idea! Thank you for prompting me to contact the Justice League.”

Black and Spheer appear in the doorway guns drawn and then halt and look at the unconscious Luthor on the floor. Black holstered his gun, “Damn, we missed the party.”

Kara smiled.

  
  
  


Ruby and Jess came back to the main room to investigate and as they took in the scene Ruby pointed at the balcony and her mouth fell open. 

Kara and the others turned to look, expecting the invasion to suddenly be in full swing by the girls reaction, but instead Wonder Woman, in full gear, sword, shield and all was standing on the balcony watching them. She sheathed her sword and opened the door, “Hello.” She greeted calmly as she observed them and the motionless man on the floor.


	24. Lasso

Kill Command

rancordesherzens

  
  
  


Last Time

  
  


Hope whispered in her ear a second later, “The Flash has located and disposed of all Mr. Luthor’s bombs.”

Kara reacted all at human speed and strength. She grabbed the revolver from Lex’s hands, kneed him in the crotch, and headbutted him as he screamed and went to cradle his family jewels. He went cross-eyed, dropped to the floor, landed on his side, and fell unconscious.

Sam whooped and laughed, “At a girl! What took you so long?!”

Lena watched in horror and waited to hear explosions across the city. 

Nothing.

Kara scanned him, “Hope had The Flash take care of the bombs.”

Lena’s heart did a little flip. Thank god.

The alien grinned at Lena, looked at the little trail of blood dripping from Lex’s nose from the headbutt, and spoke to Hope. “Good job, Hope! Thank you! Did you hear the high pitched little scream he made?”

Hope sounded happy, “Yes! He deserved it! It was your idea! Thank you for prompting me to contact the Justice League.”

Black and Spheer appear in the doorway guns drawn and then halt and look at the unconscious Luthor on the floor. Black holstered his gun, “Damn, we missed the party.”

Kara smiled.

Ruby and Jess came back to the main room to investigate and as they took in the scene Ruby pointed at the balcony and her mouth fell open. 

Kara and the others turned to look, expecting the invasion to suddenly be in full swing by the girls reaction, but instead Wonder Woman, in full gear, sword, shield and all was standing on the balcony watching them. She sheathed her sword and opened the door, “Hello.” She greeted calmly as she observed them and the motionless man on the floor.

This Time

  
  


The men and women in the penthouse watched as Wonder Woman strode towards them from the balcony. She was staring at Lex and his unconscious form on the floor.

“I received a message that you were under attack.”

The conscious Luthor nodded, “He’s been handled.”

“As were his bombs. The Flash disposed of them and brought me here before returning to the fight. I see that I am not needed now.”

Kara was observing the armored woman near them. She was growing aware of the fact that she could almost _feel_ some kind of power radiating off of her. She was beautiful and undoubtedly a strong warrior. Hope and Lena had told her little bit about the hero, but it was indescribable suddenly being in her presence. She’s never sensed someone's power before. 

Wonder Woman turned her gaze to Kara and her expression shifted from something decidedly neutral to utmost curiosity. 

The alien swallowed. It was like maybe the woman could tell that Kara wasn’t human? Maybe she could feel Kara’s power the way she can almost feel hers? She listened as the woman’s heart rate accelerated a little and she hummed deep in her throat and looked at her from her black sneakers, gray jeans, pink shirt, and black zip jacket. 

The Greek smiled, one that lit up her eyes. She carefully stored her shield on her back, connecting it to her sword sheath, and put her hands on her hips, “You are not of this world.”

Kara blinked and then looked over at the awestruck humans around them.

Lena looked between them. How in the world can she tell? Does Kara want her to know her identity?

“I…” Kara looked over at Lena and then ran her hand through her own unruly blonde waves and puffed out some air instead of speaking.

A musical laugh escaped the armored woman’s lips, “You are the alien known as ‘L’ are you not?”

Kara shook her head, “No.”

The hero squinted at her. She can tell that the woman isn’t human. She can feel power radiating from her. She fought this man and these humans know her identity. She’s sure of it. She pulled her lasso from her belt slowly and it started to glow brightly, “This is the Lasso of Hestia. Do you know what it can do?”

The youngest human in the room ran to stand in between Kara and the hero, “It makes people tell the truth and hurts them if they lie. But, using it on someone without their permission when they’ve done nothing wrong is not nice. You should know better! You’re Wonder Woman!” Sam was wide-eyed, proud, and terrified. 

“Ruby is right. But, she shouldn’t-” Sam didn’t get to finish.

Wonder Woman grinned at the girl in front of her, “You are absolutely correct, Ruby. I was not threatening to use it on your friend.” She pulled the lasso slack and wrapped it around her own arm and pulled it tight. “I want you to know that I will not hurt you. I will not hurt any of you. That your identity is safe with me should you choose to share it and I would not reveal it without your express permission. I do, however, ask for your help during this invasion.” She stared into Kara’s blue eyes. “Will you fight by my side?” Ruby went back to her mother once she was sure that one of her favorite heroes wasn’t going to try and take advantage of Kara. 

The alien watched the lasso glow and tighten around the woman’s bracer and elbow, “Does it hurt you to use that on yourself?”

“It only hurts those that resist it’s power. I am in no pain.”

Kara watched her, “Can I ask your name?”

The hero smiled, “You can. I will tell you if we are alone.”

Kara tilted her head and stepped forward some, “Is it hurting you now, for not answering.”

“No. I told you that you can ask. I spoke no lie, nor did I resist.”

She thought it fascinating that phrasing a question in such a way would have that effect. “Interesting. I’d like to try using it.”

“Here.” Diana removed it from herself and passed the relic to the alien.

Kara wrapped her own arm the same way she watched the hero do and she spoke, “Ask me some questions.”

Diana crossed her arms, a smile still on her lips, and asked, “Can I ask you anything?”

Kara nodded and waited.

“Are you L?”

“No.” She answered and felt the lasso start to get hot on her skin. 

“Is my lasso burning you?”

“Yes.” It’s not burning.

“Are you human?”

“Yes.” The lasso shone brighter and brighter and was getting hotter with each lie that graced her lips.

Wonder Woman held out her hand, “No need to hurt yourself. If you are unwilling to fight just say it.”

Kara laughed, “It’s hot, but it doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t burn yet”

“You have quite the pain tolerance then.”

“Yes.” She gripped the glowing rope. “Yes. I am sometimes known as L. No, I am not human. Yes. I will help you fight.”

Lena’s heart hurt again at the thought of Kara out there fighting. She understands though. She does. 

The alien removed the lasso and handed it to the woman, “We need to secure Lex Luthor before I go with you.”

The woman attached her lasso to her side and glanced down at the man, “I can drop him off. Toss him back in his cell for you.” She offered with a smile.

Kara looked to Lena, “Is that what you want?”

The CEO nodded, “Yes. It’s where he belongs.”

“It’s settled then. I will take him back to his cell and meet with you soon once the fighting here starts.” She didn’t wait for Kara to respond. She leaned down and easily shouldered Lex and walked to the balcony and disappeared off the edge.

  
  


“Wow!” Ruby exclaimed. “You’re going to be fighting with Wonder Woman!!! That’s so cool!”

Sam completely agreed. Kara would fit right in too. She’s seen what she can do and vividly remembers her busting through bots and burning that training island to the ground.

Jess could tell her boss was worried about Kara helping the Justice League. How could she not worry about the woman she loves? 

Jack and Manchester were whispering to each other about how incredibly hot Wonder Woman is in person.

The air around Kara felt warm and she felt like she needed take to the sky and find cooler air above the city. What is she doing? How can she just join this fight? She can help, sure, but should she? What if she loses control or gets overwhelmed? She takes a couple of slow breaths and looks over at her favorite human. She’s watching her with knowing eyes. 

Kara steels herself and speeds away to gear-up and speeds back to where she had been standing. She adjusts her special protective vest from Lena.

Her girlfriend takes in her appearance. She’s wearing black jogger pants, black tank top, her black tactical vest, her hiking boots, her hair up in a messy ponytail, and her eyes glowing blue with her Lord Tech contacts. She’s adjusting her earpiece and saying something to Hope, but Lena doesn’t hear it. She just watched Kara. She is so strong, possibly the strongest person on the planet, but Lena will always worry.

Kara turns her attention back to Lena and closes the distance between them, wrapping the human up in a warm hug, “I’ll see you soon.”

Lena kissed Kara’s cheek as they hugged, “Promise me you’ll be okay.”

Blue eyes met hers, “I promise.”

Lena kissed Kara gently and removed herself from the embrace, “Don’t let them hurt you.”

She nodded and after a wave to those in the room; she sped away.

  
  
  


Kara stopped on the street on the other end of the city. She could hear people looting nearby and Cat and Nia’s voice as they were covering the footage. She could hear something else nearby, something she’s only heard through footage of attacks around the globe. She jumped up into the air and flew towards them.

She stopped in the air above the reporters and Winn quickly got her in the shot.

Cat grinned, “Cat Grant; still here and reporting that L has arrived. Will she stop the looters? Is she patrolling the area?”

Kara ignored them and tried to focus on the noise. Then she found it soaring from the direction of the ships and heading right for the block she was now. It was a large alien missile. 

Hope was in active mode, not needing to be called upon as she assisted, “Data suggests the missiles being used are heat seeking.”

Kara focused her heat vision to emit enough to get the weapon's attention and when she saw its course shift, she flew up and guided it away from the humans below. When she felt that the blast wouldn’t harm them she shot a blast of her heat vision at it and then flew back to where she had been before and addressed the people, “Seek shelter immediately. It is not safe to be out here.”

Wonder Woman hopped onto a nearby building roof and equipped her sword and shield. More missiles were heading this way from all across the shore. 

It’s happening. 

Kara flew high and towards the projectiles and used her speed and her heat vision to destroy as many as she could. 

The ones she missed, Wonder Woman was managing to deflect back into the sky into other missiles or would slice them with her sword. 

There were just so many, that they had to focus on the ones heading directly for civilians first. Blasts ripped all throughout the city. 

Military aircrafts were shooting missiles out of the sky right up until the alien ships started deploying aircrafts of their own. 

Kara sped up and as the alien ships got closer she started repeating the phrase, ‘we do not have to fight. Please communicate,’ in every alien language she knows. Hope recorded and broadcast her message on repeat. 

She kept saying the message again and again in over thirty languages. Hope put that on repeat for her as she fought to rid the sky of bombs and used her own body to fly _through_ enemy aircraft when they showed no signs of halting. The blasts from the alien ships destroyed were massive. Massive enough that it was uncomfortable even for Kara. She landed on a rooftop and looked at the impressive army. It’s like this everywhere? 

Some of the alien ships were unloading soldiers and she heard human gunshots firing off near where some just landed. She hopped up and flew in that direction. Police officers were shooting at the armored aliens and they were starting to return fire. Their rifles fired off bursts of energy that were melting the cars the officers were taking cover behind. Kara sped between the groups and tried another message in a few alien languages, ‘There’s no need for violence. Please tell us why you’re here’. 

The only responses she got from the aliens were some comments in a couple languages she doesn’t recognize and several more shots fired off, this time aimed at her. The blast burns her vest a bit and burns the hem of her joggers. She frowns and uses her speed to disarm and knock them all out. As she checks their vitals and uses her x-ray vision to see through their intricate armored suits, she can hear the humans around her talking. The aliens aren’t like anything she’s ever seen. They’re humanoid-ish, as Moores would say. Some have light purple skin, some have almost blue skin. They have different color hair, ranging from white, to pink, green, and black. They have five fingers on each hand, five toes on each foot, their hearts are larger than a humans and in the middle of their chest. She pulls a collar device from one of the aliens, “Hope, is this their communication device?”

“I believe so. I’m getting some of their chatter. If you take this to Miss Luthor, she may be able to connect me to this and we could possibly derive something from their language.”

Kara gripped the device and in a blur disappeared from the street and was suddenly back in Lena’s penthouse.

“Kara?”

Kara handed her the device, kissed her on the lips, and sped away as Hope filled her in on the piece of alien tech.

  
  
  


Wonder Woman sliced through another missile and jumped into the air to slice one of the passing alien aircrafts in two. The pieces fell and exploded in the street. As she landed back on the ground and stood, Kara blurred into view beside her.

“That’s not a normal sword is it?” Kara asked.

The Goddess grinned and craftily spun her sword in her hand, “It is a magic sword.” She answered playfully.

Kara watched the sun glint off of the sharp blade as the woman showed off for a moment, “Magic? Like your lasso?”

“Exactly. This is the Sword of Athena. I bet it can even make you bleed.”

Kara raised her eyebrow at the Goddess.

“Not that I want to find out.”

“Let’s not then.”

Wonder Woman laughed and her tiara and armor shined in the sun just as much as her sword.

Winn got the footage as it happened and Nia was broadcasting some of the clips from her phone as Cat addressed the viewers again, “Wonder Woman is here in National City. L seems to have teamed up with the Justice League to assist them during this invasion.”

  
  
  
  


Alex and Maggie were clearing a building with their newly assigned team when their lookout radioed that a ship just dropped off some uninvited guests down in the parking lot. They took cover in the lobby.

The aliens blast through the front door and just as they’re about to start firing on the marines two are immediately sniped from behind. Their bodies fall forward onto the floor and blue blood spills out of the damaged helmets. The others scatter and start returning fire outside.

“The fuck?” Alex asks. The front door closes and the marines are alone inside the building and listening to the gunfire outside until it suddenly goes quiet. 

Maggie and two other marines are signaled to investigate. They peak out the windows near the doors and just in time to see two blondes get onto a motorcycle and speed away from the lot. “Shit.” Maggie muttered. “All clear.”

When she returned to Alex’s side and continued their sweep of the building they signed to one another.

-What did you see?- Alex asked.

-Two women leaving on a niceass bike.-

-Did two women manage to take down that entire team?-

Maggie huffed a little. -I didn’t see them do it. But, that’s how it appears. I’m impressed if that’s really what just happened.-

-Shit.-

-That’s what I said.-

-Hey, glad they’re on our side.-

-I hope so.-

They stopped signing when Lane told them to stay focused. 

  
  
  
  


Kara blasted her heat vision through another enemy aircraft and she rushed to catch the pieces before the debris could cause more damage to the city below. 

Wonder Woman tossed a truck at a few of the aliens and then ran to her side, “I like the energy blasts from your eyes. Very helpful.”

The alien smiled, “Thank you. My friends called it ‘lasers’ but, I like to call it ‘heat vision’.”

“Heat vision.” She said back and nodded. “What else can you do?”

Kara’s eye brows furrowed.

Diana gestured to the small troop running towards them, “Show me what you can do, L.”

She stared at her brown eyes for a second before turning to face the incoming attackers. She took a deep breath and blew out her freeze breath just enough to freeze their armored suits where they stood.

Winn’s jaw dropped as he recorded.

Kara sped around and broke all of the alien’s rifles and then carefully defrosted their suits. As they regained their movement she knocked them all out.

“Impressive.” Wonder Woman commented. “What do you call that ability? Cold burst?”

Kara smirked, “Freeze breath.”

The Goddess made an approving noise and then jumped into the air and onto a nearby building, “Let’s go, L.”

  
  
  
  


The Flash was speeding all over the country assisting in anyway he could from Central City to Metropolis. He’s been keeping in contact with everyone in the Justice League and the Legends via an earpiece. 

He speeds through a city street and moves people out of the way of blasts as he moves. 

“Aquaman, how’s it going?”

 _“Just great, Sparky.”_ Came the dry reply over the comms. 

Barry laughed and kept working, “Cy? Your end?”

The cyborg shot a plasma blast into the face of one of his attackers then he pulled a wounded man from a car and flew him to the nearest shelter where he could get medical attention, “ _The fighting just doesn’t end._ ”

Barry ran up the side of a twenty story building to get a better view of the city he was in for the moment. “No it doesn’t, does it? Batman? Batwoman? How’s Gotham?”

Batman replied, _“Gotham’s been through much worse than this.”_

 _“No it hasn’t.”_ Batwoman countered just to annoy her mentor. 

The Flash used his speed to run and jump from rooftop to rooftop when he saw an airman eject from their damaged jet and their parachute didn’t seem to be functioning. He caught the pilot and got him to the ground without scarring him too much. After checking the man over to be sure he wasn’t harmed he checked in with Wonder Woman, “Wonder Woman? How’s it going over in National City? Have any of the Legends shown up yet?”

After a moment she answered, _“I haven’t seen any of the Legends yet. I’m making some progress here with help from L._ ”

Barry stopped on a curb and touched his earpiece, “L? The alien that tossed Maxwell Lord around like a toy?”

“ _Yes, that alien._ ” She replied. Kara was listening to their conversation as soon as The Flash piped up to check in on Aquaman. Now multiple voices were coming over the comm. 

“You’re working with Arms?” Heatwave asked gravel-y.

 _“Hold up_ .” A woman’s voice cut-in. “ _I’m here in National City with the Director. You’re telling me all those lasers shooting off are from L? Is that what’s happening?”_

_“Yes, she’s full of hidden talents.”_

Kara lit up at the praise and kept listening.

Wonder Woman grinned, _“She can even hear our conversations, judging by her sudden, otherwise unexplainable smile.”_ The alien tried to look a little apologetic. 

_“Shit!”_ The woman’s voice said over the comm, _“Well, you’re not keeping her all to yourself! Find us. We’re five blocks east of the marina and heading north.”_

Barry was assisting a couple, “Uh! I will be speeding over soon to do a quick meet-and-greet!”

Charlie patched in, _“Are we hearing this right on the Waverider? Hottie with the glowing blue contacts?_ ” She looked at Ray, Mick, Nate, and Zari as she tried to get a confirmation.

They could hear Wonder Woman and Aquaman laugh over the comms. Gideon showed them live coverage from the Tribune of L and Wonder Woman in National City.

Cyborg caught a missile and threw it back at the alien craft that fired it, _“Can’t wait to meet her._ ” 

  
  
  


Wonder Woman tapped her ear piece to turn it off and then pointed at Kara’s practically hidden one. She did the same and looked at her curiously, not liking disconnecting from Hope, but curious to know what the woman wants to say in private. “What is it?”

Smoke from the burning buildings shifted with the wind and they could hear the fighting all around them in the distance. The Goddess held out her hand and smiled warmly, “I’m Diana Prince.”

The smoke lingered and the smell was irritating Kara’s sensitive nose. She reached out and shook Diana’s hand, “Kara Danvers.”

“A human name?” They let go of each other's hands. 

“For my human identity. My birth name is Kara Zor-El.”

Diana appraised the woman before her, “I suppose Prince is my human identity then.”

Kara waited for her to explain. Hope had described the hero to be a metahuman. Humans that have mutant genes that give them extraordinary abilities. Is Diana not a metahuman?

“I am Diana. Princess of Themyscira. Daughter of Queen Hippolyta. Daughter of Zeus.”

Kara’s eyes widened just a bit. It sure _sounds_ impressive, but she’s not sure what it’s supposed to _mean_. “You are royalty? I do not know of Themyscira, Hippolyta, or Zeus.”

The armored woman let out a very loud laugh. She was impressed with the aliens' easy pronunciation of the names. She tells her the truth and the significance is lost on the alien that apparently doesn’t know Earth’s history. “I will tell you about it more when we are not in battle.”

Kara just nodded. She certainly wants to learn more about this princess. “I look forward to it.”

Diana grinned, “Let’s go meet with White Canary before she holds a grudge over my monopolizing your time.”

The alien took to the sky, followed the woman, and shot aircrafts down as they went. Kara took that moment to turn her earpiece back on as they near their destination. She lands next to Diana and in front of two blondes near an alley east of the marina. 

Just after her comm links back up with Hope the AI chimes in. “I told _her_ I lost communications with you and she is worried.”

Kara paled a little and the woman in white leather, presumably the White Canary and a woman in black tactical clothes watched her touch her ear and say, “I’m sorry. Patch me in, please.” 

_“L, what the fuck?!”_

“I needed a moment...without comms. I’m fine, I promise.”

 _“Without comms why?”_ She asked, clearly pissed off now instead of worried. Well, not as worried.

Kara visibly swallowed, despite still looking like a total badass in the alley, “I will tell you later. It won’t happen again.”

There was a moment of silence. The three women near her looked curious and amused. Finally, after Kara thought she’d burst from the silence on the other end, Lena replied, _“Don’t do it again when on a mission, please.”_

“I won’t.”

Hope made a tisking noise, “That will be quite the conversation later.”

“I had good reason. I see now why I should have alerted you to what I was doing. I apologize.”

Lena huffed, her Irish accent peaking through as she spoke _, “I’m going back to connecting Hope to the communication device you brought. Do not pull that shite again.”_

Kara nodded, even though Lena couldn’t see her. Her accent only gets that prominent when she is mad. It’s the first time she’s heard her speak like that and it be directed towards _her._ Even when she made her ears bleed and upset Lena then, she hadn’t been this mad.

Hope chimed in, “She’s disconnected.”

Kara visibly relaxed some and asked, “Just how much trouble did I get myself into?”

“Oh I’d say there’s some begging in your future if her blood pressure, breathing patterns, and her vocal inflections are anything to go by.”

“Rao. Thanks for the warning.”

“Anytime.”

Kara sighed and remembered she wasn’t alone. “Hello, White Canary and Director. I am L.” She cringed slightly at calling herself that.

The leather clad woman reached out to shake her hand, “We should rename you ‘Whipped’.”

The other blonde laughed and so did Diana.

Kara tilted her head in confusion and frowned as they shook, “I don’t understand. Will you explain?”

The other blonde waved and grinned, “It means whoever just fussed at you over your comms, must be important to you in...an intimate way...and you are ‘whipped’ or ‘controlled’ by them.” The three laughed as the aliens' expressions changed a little towards understanding. 

“Controlled? I make my own choices.”

Diana licked her lips, “Not controlled entirely...it’s just a saying humans have for someone who tends to submit in the relationship or...I guess really takes their feelings to heart and is willing to make changes to keep peace? Does that make more sense?”

Kara crossed her arms and nodded. She is definitely willing to do just about anything to keep her favorite human happy. “I’ve made a mistake, but I am confident I can remedy it. I suppose I am ‘whipped’ then?”

The Captain cackled, “Oh today is a great day.”

The Director nudged her, “Babe, what about the invasion?”

The woman shrugged and grinned, “Yeah, but _this_ happened too!” She exclaimed and gestured towards the alien.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Thoughts?

  
  


Comments? LOVE THOSE.

  
  


Kudos? THOSE TOO.

  
  
  
  


Take care! Thank you for reading!


	25. We're professionals.

Kill Command

Chapter 25

rancordesherzens

  
  


The Waverider appears over National City and Atom flies out with Steel in his grasp. Gideon tracks Sara and Ava’s location so that they can join them in the fighting. The two men insisted that they be dropped off quickly and then the ship can return to the fight in Metropolis. 

Charlie is grumpy that she can’t hop off and meet the new alien helping them, but she stays on board with Zari and Mick to head back east to provide support there. 

The advanced aircraft fades out of view again and travels away.

Steel shouts with joy from flying with his buddy. They are mid-air still when they spot two blondes on a motorcycle heading North, while Wonder Woman runs along the rooftops, and L flies over them shooting hostiles and artillery down with her red heat vision.

Kara sees the men and signals to the other women with her and they tell her that they are allies. 

They land in front of them in the street. Nate runs forwards, wearing his suit and helmet, “Hello! I’m Steel! Great to meet you! Big Fan! So cool what you did on that island and to that Maxipad Lord!”

Hope laughed in her ear and she awkwardly shook the excited man’s hand. The other man, in a hightech exosuit moved forward, hand out to greet, and a big grin visible through his own helmet, “Same thing he said! I’m the Atom! Pleased to meet you, L! Nice tech contacts; the materials...alien glass composite of some sort to not be destroyed by your lasers. Right?”

Kara shook his hand too. “Right.” Are all of Earth’s heroes perky? These men are so happy to meet her. She shoots them a quick smile, “Steel and Atom, the pleasure is mine as well.”

An explosion rocked a building near them and Kara looked up to see an alien aircraft flying towards them. She hopped up and sped through the sky and flew right through the craft, causing it to blow and its pieces scattered around her. She dropped from the incredible height and as the landed the asphalt beneath her cracked.

“WOAH!!!!!” Atom and Steel exclaimed. The men chatted excitedly back and forth and Kara watched them curiously. She tried to beat some of the soot off of her from the explosion and her nose wrinkled at the burning smell. Her vest was looking a little more singed than before and she took a moment to carefully fix her loosening ponytail. 

Ava looked away and at her girlfriend who was doing the exact same thing she just made herself stop doing. Staring at L’s amazing arms. She adjusted her sniper rifle on her shoulder and thought that Mick picked the right name to keep calling her once they saw her in the news coverage. Charlie liked that particular feature too. Feminine yet defined, much like her Sara. Sure Ava noticed them on the news segment and in a picture of her for an article, but seeing them in person. Just wow. She smacked her girlfriend to regain her attention and the captain laughed. She whispered, “I’m having a hard time not staring too. I mean, woooooow, right?”

Sara agreed quickly and with a happy smile on her face.

Kara heard them and traced their gaze to her arms as she finished fixing her hair and lowered her arms and turned to face the men instead, not wanting the other blondes or Wonder Woman to see her cheeks dust a light pink over the sudden attention.

She listened to the two armored men gush about aliens for a moment before Wonder Woman broke up their little fangirl moments. “Alright, we can socialize more after we deal with this invasion.”

Atom straightened his spine and nodded, “Yes. Right. Definitely!”

Steel leaned in and whispered to Kara, “We’re professionals.”

Her comm link in her ear came to life and Hope whispered, “They seem very much the opposite.”

The alien blinked at them and couldn’t contain the small laugh that escaped her own lips before she started floating up into the air and back to the fighting across the city. “I like them, Hope.”

“Oh, yes. I do too. But, they hardly seem to be the ‘professionals’ that they claim.”

“White Canary, Director, and Wonder Woman do.”

“They called you ‘Whipped’.”

Kara caught a missile mid-air and tossed it into an alien craft before it could unload the troops, “It seemed to be an insightful and accurate description.”

“I will let Lena know.”

“Hope!”

The AI laughed, “That was a joke.”

The blonde shook her head and dropped down to intervene in a gunfight. Wonder Woman and the Legends followed her on the ground. As she closed in she noticed a partially familiar group of marines. She couldn’t act too excited to see some of them though, so she focused on helping instead. She caught the blasts firing from the alien rifles with her palms, they left behind black scorch marks on her skin, and she used her heat vision to make some of their rifles explode. She easily picked up a heavily damaged sedan over her head and threw it at them. Two were crushed and four others ran into a nearby building. “Hope, any luck with that communication device yet?”

“No. It’s been manually connected, but I’m not finding anything in my data banks that can build our own little version of a Rosetta Stone. We will keep working.”

Kara ran at superspeed, the world around her slowing, and she closed in on the hostile aliens. They were trying to take up a defensive position and it sounded like they were calling out for help. She flicked two of them into a wall and they fell unconscious on the floor. One started firing at her and she disarmed and tossed him through the nearest wall. The fourth, a woman, dropped to their knees and held up their hands. Weapon on the floor far away from grasp.

Kara tried a few more languages and asked, “Do you surrender peacefully?” In each of them. The alien didn’t move other than lowering its head. The woman put her hands behind her helmeted head and as Kara walked closer to her she pulled out a hidden blade from her armor and lunged at her. The Kryptonian dodged and the woman tried attacking again and again. Kara walked backwards out the building door and into the sunlight.

Alex pointed when she exited the building and practically growled when she saw the blade swinging at her sister’s face. The marines started firing shots to try and get the combative alien to retreat again, but she wasn’t.

The blonde caught the knife in her hand and snapped it in two with her fingers and tossed it over her shoulder. 

The member of the Justice League and the Legends arrived just as L tossed the car and entered the building. 

The armored alien pulled a pistol from a holster on its side and aimed at Kara’s face. As it squeezed the trigger a glowing lasso wrapped around the aliens wrist and when she pulled the rope the gun fired and the alien went soaring into the air and through a nearby billboard. Kara looked over at the Amazon as she quickly and gracefully put away her lasso with a cocky smile on her lips.

The marines were whooping in the distance along with the present Legends. Kara leaned down and picked up the alien blaster pistol. She walked to the unit and greeted, “Hello, are any of you hurt?”

They had scratches and bruises, but nothing requiring medical attention.

She nodded at them and the soldiers scanned the area carefully before taking some quick selfies with the heroes. Kara didn’t join in at first despite being asked, then Wonder Woman drug her into the photo by her forearm, and afterward she held out the alien pistol to offer Alex. “Maybe you can get some use out of this?”

Alex grinned and turned the weapon around in her hands and felt the weight of it. “Uh yeah, thanks.” Her eyes sparkled like she just got the best new toy.

L fought to remain neutral. She then heard a familiar voice screaming obscenities in the distance. Just as she started to really tune in there was a scream and she heard Cat’s beacon activate. Hope spoke in her ear as she disappeared in a gust and shot through the air back in the direction of the reporter. The scream was coming from Nia’s healthy lungs.

  
  
  
  
  


Kara landed near them and pushed two alien soldiers away from the Humans and Naltorian that were on the ground being corralled. One of the soldiers threw a punch at Kara and his hand broke as it made contact with the side of her face. She pushed him back all the way into a burning shell of a truck on the other side of the street. He pushed off of the vehicle and pulled a circular object from his gear and it started to flash right before he threw it. 

A grenade.

She turned away but before she could go anywhere the bomb exploded as it hit her back and sent her sliding forward across the road back towards the humans. The asphalt broke as her feet dug in. She stopped, hunched over, just a foot away from Cat, Nia, Winn, and two terrified civilians. 

The heroes appeared as the blast caught Kara.

Smoke and rubble cleared and Kara stood and turned. Her glowing blue eyes cut through the smoke and dust as she glared at the man responsible. He took a step back realizing his mistake. Her now almost fully bare back was turned to the humans she was protecting. She frowned at the alien across from her and sped right into him knocking him with her shoulder and sent him right through the burning truck this time and into the brick wall behind it. He crumpled to the ground and Kara walked through the fresh rubble back to the humans. She looked at them with her x-ray vision to confirm they didn’t have any broken bones and she helped them all stand.

Winn had kept recording LIVE during their almost capture and their quick rescue. He was speechless. Kara was definitely getting used to using her powers. She’s impressive. The planet’s never seen anything like her. 

She grabbed Nia’s shoulders gently, “You’re okay.” The brunette nodded.

“Thank you.”

Kara looked at the trio, “I can get you to safety if you let me.”

Cat and the others shook their heads, “We can’t cover all of this from safety.”

The alien sighed and looked at the two civilians; they took the opportunity. She picked them both up, hugging the man and woman to her sides and flew them to the nearest shelter and flew back quickly. 

  
  


The White Canary was using her own booted foot to gently touch the alien that Kara shoulder-checked. He wasn’t moving, “Damn. L, I really hope we stay on the same side.”

Kara felt guilty over killing the aliens today. The ones in the ships, the ones crushed, and ones thrown. It’s not the same as destroying the bots with the kill command code. This is so much different. She packs it away and crosses her arms, “I don’t see why we would be on different sides, White Canary.”

Ava scanned the area with her scope and the fighting on this side of town was calming down. Which just meant it was time to find more action. 

Atom shrunk down to only a couple of inches tall and landed on Kara’s shoulder. She looked at him with wide eyes. “We don’t have any reason to be on different sides. So,  _ Hakuna Matata _ .” He took back to the air and changed into his normal size. Hope had told her about his power and she was amazed to see the little display.

“Hakuna...Matata?” She repeated unsure of her words.

Steel laughed, “Exactly! Let’s go!” Atom grabbed him and flew towards the nearest explosions. 

Kara hazarded a glance at Cat, Nia, and Winn before taking to the skies again and intercepting more missiles. 

  
  
  
  
  


Kara is actually feeling tired. She’s helped destroy a massive chunk of their forces and even sped over to two other cities to help Cyborg deal with an influx of soldiers and then she sped off to Gotham when Batwoman called in a request. She and Batman were in a building that collapsed around them. Kara landed amid the mess, used her x-ray vision to locate, and safely extract them. She then sped along Gotham’s skyline and cleared out dozens of enemy aircrafts before shooting back across the country to be back in National City.

“Where the hell did she come from?” Batman gruffed. 

“I don’t know, but I like her. She’s got good timing.”

The Bat narrowed his eyes at her comment and then said, “I wonder if there are more like her?” 

“I sure hope so.” The woman said as she brushed dust off of her suit and adjusted her red wig.

He rolled his eyes at her. He’s not sure if he was comfortable having someone with that much power around, and shot his grapple gun at the nearest building. At least she’s helping with this fight. That’s a good sign to him. Batwoman followed him, using her own grappler, and blended into the dark sky with a laugh. 

  
  
  
  
  


Night had fallen. The fighting has entirely halted. Sara collapsed her bo-staff when the fighting stopped. She called Atom and Steel to her. Ava was already at her side. They were all winded. Wonder Woman dropped from a building ledge and fell from the dark sky; landed near them. “Are you all okay?”

“We’re fine. Looks like they’re gonna turn in at night. We should take the time to rest and prep for more fighting tomorrow.” Sara said.

A sonic boom sounded above them, causing the humans to jump a little, and Kara dropped from the sky and hovered above the ground just before landing, causing a ripple through the air. She had heard them talking before she even got back to the state. “Rest sounds great.”

Ava rolled her neck and grimaced, “We are going to call the Waverider. Some of your allies are already onboard, L. If you’d like to join us there.”

Kara looked curious, “Who?”

Hope spoke through Kara’s comm and the others as well, “Miss Arias, Mr. Black, Miss Luthor, Sergeant Danvers, and Corporal Sawyer.”

“How did the marines get aboard?”

Atom smiled, clearly tired, “Their superiors seemed happy that they had connections with the Justice League and Legends, they were practically pushed up the ramp according to Heatwave.”

Kara nodded. Lena is there so of course she wants to go. “Yes. I’ll go to your ship.”

Sara clapped her hands and grinned like a goddamn maniac, “Arlight! Gideon! Bring us home!”

  
  
  
  
  


A moment later Kara could hear and somewhat see the light refracting around the ship as it appeared over them and then became visible to everyone else too.

Wonder Woman smiled warmly at her and they walked towards the ship as the ramp lowered.

  
  
  
  
  


Kara didn’t know what to expect as she entered the ship. But, a British voice greeting them over the speakers and a room full of the Justice League and Legends was not it. She scanned the room and her contacts told her that it was in fact Arias, Aquaman, Flash, and Heatwave sitting with Batwoman drinking a beer. The woman grinned, still wearing her mask. As was The Flash and Batman. The Bat was standing next to a large round command center of some sort with Cyborg, Lena, and Manchester. 

Alex and Maggie were sitting and discussing weak spots in the enemies armor with Charlie and Zari; sharing intel when Kara, Wonder Woman and the rest walked in. 

Sara enthusiastically greeted Gideon back and yelled, “Captain’s back, bitches!!!” Her crew happily cheered. 

The marines ran up to Kara and checked on her and as they spoke she was so grateful that they were okay, but her eyes were only on Lena now. 

Ava noticed that she wasn’t looking away from the command center, “That must be her man.” She whispered to some of her own teammates. 

Sara turned and looked at the handsome black man in tactical gear smiling back at her from the table near the Luthor and the Bat. “Oh, looks like he’s not too mad afterall.” He’s pretty good looking too.

Charlie appeared between the blondes, “I quite like my odds if she already has a thing for black beauties with British accents.” She whispered.

Kara squeezed both Alex’s and Maggie’s shoulders, “I’m glad you’re both here. I’ll catch up with you in a moment.” They understood. 

Wonder Woman watched curiously. 

Kara walked towards the command center. Black greeted her, “L, you look like you got the shit beat out of ya.” He cracked a smile as he teased her.

She laughed, thankful for the humor, “I feel like it too.”

Charlie muttered, “That’s hardly the proper way to greet your alien goddess.” Ava and Sara laughed.

Maggie heard them and what they were saying registered with her and Alex at the same time. “Oh, you think...you think that L is with Black?”

The three women looked at the two marines and were trying to figure it out. Then Charlie’s eyes sparkled, “Oh!” Realization hit.

Kara reached out and gently touched Lena’s elbow, “Miss Luthor.”

The human sighed and set her tablet down. She turned to look at Kara and she wasn’t prepared for the wave of relief, love, and semi-anger that hit her all at once. She clenched her jaw and looked into her glowing eyes. “L.” She took in her messy appearance, dirt, soot, and burned clothes and her destroyed vest, “I see you need a new outfit and protective gear.”

The alien nodded, “Yes, please.” She looked worried as she stood before Lena and waited.

Neither spoke and the tension was palpable. 

She felt the silence surround them and she took a steadying breath, “I’m sorry for earlier. I didn’t mean to hurt or scare you.”

“I know.” Lena replied and turned away from her. Before she could pick back up her tablet and start working with Gideon and Hope again, Kara supersped to her other side, facing the room and Lena more. She gently took Lena’s hands and the human turned to look at her. Her heart was pounding and melting like it always does with the woman. 

Kara chewed on her lip nervously, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I don’t mean to make you worry more or to make things worse. What...what can I do to make it up to you?”

Lena blinked back sad and angry tears and slumped just a little, unable to stay too mad for long, “Just kiss me and don’t do that again?”

Kara felt a warmth at the implied forgiveness and leaned in and captured her favorite human's lips with her own and kissed her passionately. Lena’s arms immediately wrapped around Kara’s neck to keep her close and extend the kiss indefinitely. She didn’t even care that she smelled like a warzone. It reminded her of their time on the island and how bad she had wanted to kiss her when they were reunited and after the building had collapsed and she climbed out of the rubble. She deepened the kiss, tasting her, and digging her fingers into her hair at the base of her neck.

They broke the kiss slowly and breathed against each other's lips. So much for Kara remaining neutral around Lena as L. She supposes if they can trust anyone else with this secret it would be the Justice League and the Legends. 

Lena freed her hand from Kara’s locks and caressed her face, “I love you.”

The alien grinned brightly. Brighter than her glowing contacts, “I love you too.” 

“I’m glad you’re here and that you’re okay.” The human pecked her lips chastely this time and turned her attention back to the two AIs. She did take a second to point to a duffle bag, “I brought you a couple outfits and spare gear. Would you like to go ahead and get cleaned up?” Kara nodded and picked up the bag and Gideon directed her towards the shower. She smiled and ignored the laughs and whispered commentary on her greeting with her human. 

Batman cleared his throat and looked at the Luthor, “As I was saying. Gotham will be fine a while longer. We’ve dealt with worse. Demons. Scarecrow’s gas. Joker. But, you can use my own servers too. Maybe you’ll find something to help us communicate and end this battle with them much sooner.”

Lena agreed with him, “Thank you. That is the goal here. If we can figure out why they are here and offer some kind of truce even a temporary one...it would be preferable to an unknown amount of fighting.”

Cyborg was connected to the command center and helped the AIs sort through the data.

“I don’t expect them to just stop. But, if we can understand them then we can patch into their comms and be steps ahead of them and win.”

Green and blue eyes glanced at the caped man. She continued to work. Now with her own database, Gideon’s, and Batman’s. This was good. 

  
  
  
  
  


It wasn’t long before the Bats requested to be dropped back off at Gotham. Batwoman sighed, “I was hoping to say bye to L.”

Kara heard that they were leaving and settled on just one last speedy scrub, trying to rid herself of burnt fuel and various explosions. She sped around the bathroom to dry her hair and pull on one of the outfits from Lena. She sped into gray leggings, a purple tee, and white sneakers. She left her hair down in freshly washed waves and didn’t put back in the contacts. She sped back to the room where the heroes of Gotham were leaving and saying quick farewells. 

A breeze that smelled of soap and Zari’s expensive shampoo wafted into the room and Kara was standing there with a smile on her lips, “Goodbye.”

Batwoman grinned, “Bye, L. It was really great meeting you.”

Batman rolled his eyes and practically drug Kate away by her cape as she and Kara waved at each other. 

  
  
  
  


The Flash removed his helmet and greeted L, “I wanted to fight alongside you today, but there was just too much happening in Central City.”

“We still have time to fight together.” She replied.

The Meta smiled at the woman.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Kara settled in to rest and eat from the food fabricator. Mick downed beer and ate next to her. He was truly impressed with the amount the woman was consuming. 

Eventually Ava left the dining table to look for Lena. She was still working diligently at the command table.

“Hey.”

The CEO nodded her greeting and kept working.

“I know you’re busy...I’m just wondering does...L...always eat like 30 meals in one sitting?”

Dark, elegant eyebrows rose and she actually stopped what she’s doing, “No. Not normally.” She set her tablet down and walked with the Director to where everyone else was. “I’ve seen her eat several meals at a time...but no where close to 30.”

The time traveler’s eyebrows shot up and they walked back to the hungry, hungry alien.

  
  
  
  


Alex was resting with her elbows atop the table and watching her alien sister eat and eat and eat more. “This is a whole new level of alien. Even for you.”

Kara grinned sheepishly and as Ava and Lena entered the room, she apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m just so hungry after today. I don’t think I’ve been this hungry before...which is saying something since...well...” She didn’t elaborate on her time being captured.

Hope talked over the Waverider’s speaker, having been given access by Sara and Gideon, “The more Kara uses her abilities, the more the fuel she needs.” She paused a moment, “She probably hasn’t used her powers to the extent as she did today.”

Lena leaned down and kissed her forehead, “Their food replicator can keep up with your appetite. Don’t apologize.” She kissed her forehead again, “Eat as much as you need. It’s important to your recovery.”

Sara nodded her approval, “Post-workout recovery meals.”

Kara’s blue eyes locked with Lena’s for a moment before she started eating again, at a more human pace. They thought it was all really weird until the Flash got cleaned up and joined them and gave Kara a run for her money. 

  
  
  
  


Before long Aquaman left to resume patrols. Cyborg stayed to help Gideon and Hope. The Flash was passed out on the couch. Totally exhausted. Kara was having a hard time keeping her eyes open as she rested on a different couch with Alex and Maggie. Sara and Ava on the couch across from them, resting and talking with the marines.

Diana had cleaned up and rested briefly before joining Lena and all the resident tech. She wanted to apply her own knowledge and assist however she could. Lena glanced up at her and saw the Greek smiling. She followed her line of sight to where Kara had succumbed to sleep and was resting her head on Alex’s shoulder. The Goddess broke the companionable silence they had reached, “She’s a fascinating woman.”

“Yes, she is.”

“She’s been through much suffering, but has the true spirit of a warrior.”

Lena smiled. “She’s the strongest person I know.”

The ancient Greek smiled softly, “She loves you dearly.” 

She laughed and looked over at the Amazon after a moment more of watching Kara from across the room. “I’ve loved her for years and I...want to do right by her.”

Brown eyes sparkled happily at the CEO's comment.

  
  
  
  
  


The ship was dark and quiet when Kara woke up hours later. Curled into Lena’s sleeping form on the couch. On the other couch across from them Alex and Maggie were fast asleep too. Kara carefully shifted so she could face the brunette in her arms. She watched her sweet, relaxed face as she breathed slowly. The alien had to swallow back the swell of sudden emotion. It was settling over her again, Lena loves her, and this is her life now. She’s free and she can go and do anything she wants. She swallowed, hard, and tried to calm her now racing heart. She whispered lightly, “Hope?”

Hope whispered back, “Yes Kara?”

Kara laughed quietly at the sweet whisper in her earpiece and stopped suddenly when Lena shifted a little from her laugh and mumbled incoherent words under her breath. When her human settled again she whispered to Hope again. “Hope?”

“Yes Kara?” Her voice was a little more serious. Perhaps to keep Kara from laughing again?

“When we first met...you started calling me by my full alien name...and then you started calling me by my first name exclusively. But, you still call Lena, Miss Luthor. Why?” She quietly asked.

Hope didn’t answer immediately. So Kara waited. “You seem happier when I call you ‘Kara’, even more so than when addressing you by your family name.” The AI was quiet for a moment. “Miss Luthor...I wish to show the utmost respect for her. She is my creator and she is my friend. I am comfortable referring to her as such to continue to communicate that.”

Kara pressed her own forehead into Lena’s shoulder, “I don’t think she would mind if you call her by her first name.”

“Do you think I should ask?” The AI questioned quietly.

“Maybe? I think asking is harmless.” Kara murmured into Lena’s shirt.

“I will try it out later.” Hope sounded surprisingly unsure.

A musical little laugh escaped Kara’s throat before she slowly removed herself from the couch and went to get dressed. As she entered the bathroom Gideon spoke to her in her ear, “Good early morning, Miss Danvers.”

The woman’s white sneakered feet stopped on the cold metal floor and she smiled, “Hello, Gideon.”

“I hope I did not alarm you. Are you alright with my patching into your comm?”

Kara nodded, “Yes, that’s fine.”

“Might I make a quick suggestion before you get dressed in your gear?”

The alien looked at the nearest camera, in the bathroom, which made her question a few things about privacy aboard this ship, “What is your suggestion?”

“Might you like to try the ship’s clothing fabricator? I can fashion you garments that will hold up better to your fighting style and circumstances.”

“My fighting style?”

“Yes...very...burn, crash, and smash. It is a marvel that you appeared with clothing still attached at all.”

There was silence for a moment there and Kara started to honest to Rao giggle at the statement. “Burn, crash, and smash. I...I guess I could use more durable clothes  _ and _ change in tactics.”

“I agree. Shall we get you suited?”

“Yes.” Kara swallowed and went to the room Gideon instructed her to. 

Another voice joined in over her comm. Hope was laughing, “This could be fun. We can get creative and make you a decent suit. You’ll look like a real member of this team of heroes.”

Kara quietly replied, kind of sleepily, and half-unaware that Charlie had gently padded out of her room to get a quick snack and then was super interested once she heard the sleepy alien down the hall and talking to herself. So she grinned and reached into her room for her comm and stuck it in her ear and then used her tablet to find Kara’s channel. She smirked and eavesdropped. She stealthily followed her and listened all the way to the fabricator room.

Interesting. 

The alien walked along the corridor indicated to her by Gideon and Hope. “What is considered ‘a decent suit’?”

Gideon laughed over the comm, “You’ve seen plenty today. Wonder Woman’s suit.”

“I do like her boots.” Kara commented.

The ship’s systems replied, “Yes. Those are brilliant boots. You’ve also seen the Captain’s suit. Steel. Atom. Flash. They all have ‘decent’ hero suits. You should have one too.”

“I’m not a hero.”

Charlie fought the urge to make a tisk noise as she silently followed the woman. 

Hope disagreed quickly, “You are a hero, Kara. You need a suit for when you fight.”

Kara didn’t disagree. In fact she was feeling kind of excited over picking something out while she fights these invaders. 

  
  
  
  


Comments?

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Thank you for reading and take care. 


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